HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ostro, B D Articles by Selner, J C Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ostro, B D Articles by Selner, J C

Asthmatic responses to airborne acid aerosols.

B D Ostro, M J Lipsett, M B Wiener and J C Selner

California Department of Health Services, Berkeley 94704.

BACKGROUND: Controlled exposure studies suggest that asthmatics may be more sensitive to the respiratory effects of acidic aerosols than individuals without asthma. This study investigates whether acidic aerosols and other air pollutants are associated with respiratory symptoms in free-living asthmatics. METHODS: Daily concentrations of hydrogen ion (H+), nitric acid, fine particulates, sulfates and nitrates were obtained during an intensive air monitoring effort in Denver, Colorado, in the winter of 1987-88. A panel of 207 asthmatics recorded respiratory symptoms, frequency of medication use, and related information in daily diaries. We used a multiple regression time-series model to analyze which air pollutants, if any, were associated with health outcomes reported by study participants. RESULTS: Airborne H+ was found to be significantly associated with several indicators of asthma status, including moderate or severe cough and shortness of breath. Cough was also associated with fine particulates, and shortness of breath with sulfates. Incorporating the participants' time spent outside and exercise intensity into the daily measure of exposure strengthened the association between these pollutants and asthmatic symptoms. Nitric acid and nitrates were not significantly associated with any respiratory symptom analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of asthmatics, several outdoor air pollutants, particularly airborne acidity, were associated with daily respiratory symptoms.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Teramoto, H. Tanaka, S. Kaneko, and S. Abe Neurokinin-1 and Neurokinin-2 Antagonism Inhibits Long-term Acid Fog-Induced Airway Hyperresponsiveness Chest, February 1, 2003; 123(2): 524 - 529. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Grattan, M. Durand, and S. Taylor Illness and elevated human mortality in Europe coincident with the Laki Fissure eruption Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2003; 213(1): 401 - 414. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D J Ward, K T Roberts, N Jones, R M Harrison, J G Ayres, S Hussain, and S Walters Effects of daily variation in outdoor particulates and ambient acid species in normal and asthmatic children Thorax, June 1, 2002; 57(6): 489 - 502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Horak Jr, M. Studnicka, C. Gartner, J.D. Spengler, E. Tauber, R. Urbanek, A. Veiter, and T. Frischer Particulate matter and lung function growth in children: a 3-yr follow-up study in Austrian schoolchildren Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2002; 19(5): 838 - 845. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K.M. Mortimer, L.M. Neas, D.W. Dockery, S. Redline, and I.B. Tager The effect of air pollution on inner-city children with asthma Eur. Respir. J., April 1, 2002; 19(4): 699 - 705. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W.S. Tunnicliffe, D.E. Evans, D. Mark, R.M. Harrison, and J.G. Ayres The effect of exposure to sulphuric acid on the early asthmatic response to inhaled grass pollen allergen Eur. Respir. J., October 1, 2001; 18(4): 640 - 646. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Ohtsuka, K. J. Brunson, A. E. Jedlicka, W. Mitzner, R. W. Clarke, L.-Y. Zhang, S. M. Eleff, and S. R. Kleeberger Genetic Linkage Analysis of Susceptibility to Particle Exposure in Mice Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., May 1, 2000; 22(5): 574 - 581. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. VEDAL, J. PETKAU, R. WHITE, and J. BLAIR Acute Effects of Ambient Inhalable Particles in Asthmatic and Nonasthmatic Children Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 1, 1998; 157(4): 1034 - 1043. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. G. Ayres How Green Is Diesel? Indoor and Built Environment, November 1, 1994; 3(6): 318 - 322. [PDF]

				D. W. Dockery, C. A. Pope, X. Xu, J. D. Spengler, J. H. Ware, M. E. Fay, B. G. Ferris, and F. E. Speizer An Association between Air Pollution and Mortality in Six U.S. Cities N. Engl. J. Med., December 9, 1993; 329(24): 1753 - 1759. [Abstract] [Full Text]