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. 2021 Jan 28;18(3):1131.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18031131.

Sub-Clinical Effects of Outdoor Smoke in Affected Communities

Thomas O'Dwyer  1 , Michael J Abramson  1 , Lahn Straney  1 , Farhad Salimi  1 , Fay Johnston  2 , Amanda J Wheeler  2   3 , David O'Keeffe  1 , Anjali Haikerwal  1 , Fabienne Reisen  4 , Ingrid Hopper  1 , Martine Dennekamp  1   5
Affiliations

Sub-Clinical Effects of Outdoor Smoke in Affected Communities

Thomas O'Dwyer et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Many Australians are intermittently exposed to landscape fire smoke from wildfires or planned (prescribed) burns. This study aimed to investigate effects of outdoor smoke from planned burns, wildfires and a coal mine fire by assessing biomarkers of inflammation in an exposed and predominantly older population. Participants were recruited from three communities in south-eastern Australia. Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were continuously measured within these communities, with participants performing a range of health measures during and without a smoke event. Changes in biomarkers were examined in response to PM2.5 concentrations from outdoor smoke. Increased levels of FeNO (fractional exhaled nitric oxide) (β = 0.500 [95%CI 0.192 to 0.808] p < 0.001) at a 4 h lag were associated with a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 levels from outdoor smoke, with effects also shown for wildfire smoke at 4, 12, 24 and 48-h lag periods and coal mine fire smoke at a 4 h lag. Total white cell (β = -0.088 [-0.171 to -0.006] p = 0.036) and neutrophil counts (β = -0.077 [-0.144 to -0.010] p = 0.024) declined in response to a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5. However, exposure to outdoor smoke resulting from wildfires, planned burns and a coal mine fire was not found to affect other blood biomarkers.

Keywords: FeNO; PM2.5; biomarkers; bushfire; landscape fire; neutrophils; smoke; white cell count.

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Conflict of interest statement

M.J.A. holds investigator-initiated grants from Pfizer and Boehringer-Ingelheim for unrelated research. He has undertaken an unrelated consultancy for, and received assistance with, conference attendance from Sanofi. He has received a speaker’s fee from GSK. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study locations: Victoria, Australia.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Average 24 h concentrations of PM2.5 (µg/m3) measured in Warburton between 1 March and 30 April 2016. Health assessments were conducted on 1 April 2016 and 19–21 April 2016. Note that planned burns were conducted near Warburton during the study.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Boxplots showing median, quartiles and extreme concentrations of PM2.5 (µg/m3) as measured on the day’s health assessments were conducted in Warburton in 2014. Note that wildfires only occurred near Warburton during this study period.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Boxplots showing median, quartiles and extreme concentrations of PM2.5 (µg/m3) as measured on the day’s health assessments were conducted in Traralgon. Note that the coal mine fire only impacted Traralgon during the study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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