Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Jan 2;16(1):106.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16010106.

Influence of Particulate Matter during Seasonal Smog on Quality of Life and Lung Function in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chaicharn Pothirat  1 , Warawut Chaiwong  2 , Chalerm Liwsrisakun  3 , Chaiwat Bumroongkit  4 , Athavudh Deesomchok  5 , Theerakorn Theerakittikul  6 , Atikun Limsukon  7 , Pattraporn Tajaroenmuang  8 , Nittaya Phetsuk  9
Affiliations

Influence of Particulate Matter during Seasonal Smog on Quality of Life and Lung Function in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chaicharn Pothirat et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The impact of outdoor air pollution on the quality of life (QoL) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, as measured by the COPD assessment test (CAT) questionnaire, is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of a short-term increase in outdoor particulate matter in which the particles are less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) during a seasonal smog period on QoL, symptoms, and lung function in COPD patients. This prospective observational study was conducted at Chiang Dao Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand between March and August 2016. Measurement of QoL, severity of dyspnea, forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁) were performed at both high and low PM10 periods. Fifty-nine patients met the inclusion criteria for enrollment into the study, with the mean age being 71.5 ± 8.0 years. Total CAT score, but not mMRC score, was statistically higher during the high PM10 period. The two lung function parameters, FVC and FEV₁, were significantly lower at the high PM10 compared to the low PM10 period. We concluded that exposure to PM10 during the seasonal smog period resulted in short-term negative impact on the quality of life and lung function in COPD patients.

Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; dyspnea; lung function; pollution; quality of life.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare in connection with the work submitted.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Mathers C.D., Loncar D. Projections of global mortality and burden of disease from 2002 to 2030. PLoS Med. 2006;3:e442. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0030442. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Salvi S., Barnes P.J. Is exposure to biomass smoke the biggest risk factor for COPD globally? Chest. 2010;138:3–6. doi: 10.1378/chest.10-0645. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Regional CWG COPD prevalence in 12 Asia-Pacific countries and regions: Projections based on the COPD prevalence estimation model. Respirology. 2003;8:192–198. doi: 10.1046/j.1440-1843.2003.00460.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Pothirat C., Chaiwong W., Phetsuk N., Pisalthanapuna S., Chetsadaphan N., Inchai J. A comparative study of COPD burden between urban vs rural communities in northern Thailand. Int. J. Chron. Obstruct. Pulmon. Dis. 2015;10:1035–1042. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S82303. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Pothirat C., Tosukhowong A., Chaiwong W., Liwsrisakun C., Inchai J. Effects of seasonal smog on asthma and COPD exacerbations requiring emergency visits in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Asian Pac. J. Allergy. Immunol. 2016;34:284–289. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms