Ambient air pollution and children's lung function in China

Abstract

Objective: To describe the correlations between ambient air pollutants (TSP, SO(2), NO(x)) and the level of children's lung function (FVC, FEV(1), MMEF) in China.

Methods: We collected the research articles on ambient air pollution and children's lung function published from 1985 to 2006 and selected 11 articles finally according to the following criteria: (1) Children between the age of 7 and 15 as objects; (2) Local air quality monitoring results were reported; (3) Strict quality control was taken when testing children's lung function; (4) The results were expressed by the average of measured value. Then we analyzed the correlation relationship between the level of ambient air pollutants and children's lung function and compared the effects of ambient air pollutants on children's lung function of boy and girl.

Results: The selected articles included the results of 7 cities in China. Among them, the results of 6 cities' studies revealed that the levels of children's lung function were significantly lower in the areas with heavy ambient air pollution than those in the areas with light ambient air pollution. According to the articles, the average levels of TSP were at the range of 0.084 mg/m(3)-0.835 mg/m(3), SO(2) were 0.013 mg/m(3)-0.929 mg/m(3), NO(x) were 0.044 mg/m(3)-0.229 mg/m(3). Correlation analysis showed significant negative correlation between the levels of TSP and SO(2) and children's FVC and FEV(1), as well as the levels of NO(x) and children's MMEF. The correlation coefficient was -0.797 (t=-4.384, P=0.001) between TSP and FVC, -0.693 (t=-4.190, P<0.001) between Ln (SO(2)) and FVC, -0.886 (t=-5.392, P=0.001) and -0.685 (t=-4.101, P=0.001) between FEV(1) and TSP and Ln (SO(2)), and -0.973 (t=-5.993, P=0.027) between NO(x)NO(x) and MMEF, respectively. The results also suggested that the decreases of lung function for girl with the increasing of ambient air pollution were significantly greater for boy.

Conclusion: The levels of ambient air TSP and SO(2) correlated with the damage of the big airway function of children, while NO(x)NO(x) affected the small airway function chiefly. Furthermore, lung function of girl was more susceptible to ambient air pollutants than boy.