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Review
. 2020 Dec;41(4):809-824.
doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2020.08.013.

The Respiratory Risks of Ambient/Outdoor Air Pollution

Gary Adamkiewicz  1 , Jahred Liddie  1 , Jonathan M Gaffin  2
Affiliations
Review

The Respiratory Risks of Ambient/Outdoor Air Pollution

Gary Adamkiewicz et al. Clin Chest Med. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Globally, exposure to ambient air pollutants is responsible for premature mortality and is implicated in the development and exacerbation of several acute and chronic lung disease across all ages. In this article, we discuss the source apportionment of ambient pollutants and the respiratory health effects in humans. We specifically discuss the evidence supporting ambient pollution in the development of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute exacerbations of each condition. Practical advice is given to health care providers in how to promote a healthy environment and advise patients with chronic conditions to avoid unsafe air quality.

Keywords: Air pollutants; Air quality; Ambient air pollution; Asthma; COPD; Childhood asthma; Epidemiology; Pollutant sources.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure None of the authors have any commercial/financial conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Key sources of ambient air pollutants. Schematic of source apportionment for major ambient/outdoor air pollutants. SO2, sulfur dioxide; NOx, oxides of nitrogen; PM2.5, particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter; O3, ozone; VOCs, volatile organic compounds.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Respiratory diseases affected by ambient air pollutants. Schematic of respiratory diseases affected by ambient pollutant exposure. COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; ILD, interstitial lung disease; CF, cystic fibrosis.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Schematic of Air Quality Index. From U.S. EPA’s AirNow Program. From U.S. EPA’s AirNow ProgramAir Quality Index (AQI) Basics. Available at: https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi. Accessed February 11, 2020; with permission.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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