Nitrogen dioxide and respiratory illness in children. Part I: Health outcomes

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Research Report Health Effects Institute; (United States)

OSTI ID:5544819

Samet, J M; Lambert, W E; Skipper, B J; Cushing, A H; Hunt, W C; Young, S A; McLaren, L C; Schwab, M; Spengler, J D ^[1]

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1. Univ. of New Mexico Medical Center, Albuquerque (United States)

We have carried out a prospective cohort study to test the hypothesis that exposure to nitrogen dioxide increases the incidence and severity of respiratory infections during the first 18 months of life. Between January 1988 and June 1990, 1,315 infants were enrolled into the study at birth and followed with prospective surveillance for the occurrence of respiratory infections and monitoring of nitrogen dioxide concentrations in their homes. The subjects were healthy infants from homes without smokers; they were selected with stratification by type of cooking stove at a ratio of four to one for gas and electric stoves. Illness experience was monitored by a daily diary of symptoms completed by the mother and a telephone interview conducted every two weeks. Illnesses with wheezing or wet cough were classified as involving the lower respiratory tract; all other respiratory illnesses were designated as involving the upper respiratory tract. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide was estimated by two-week average concentrations measured in the subjects' bedrooms with passive samplers. This analysis is limited to the 1,205 subjects completing at least one month of observation; of these, 823 completed the full protocol, contributing 82.8% of the total number of days during which the subjects were under observation. Incidence rates for all respiratory illnesses, all upper respiratory illness, all lower respiratory illnesses, and lower respiratory illness further divided into those with any wheezing, or wet cough without wheezing, were examined within strata of nitrogen dioxide exposure at the time of the illness, nitrogen dioxide exposure during the prior month, and type of cooking stove. Consistent trends of increasing illness incidence rates with increasing exposure to nitrogen dioxide were not evident for either the lagged or unlagged exposure variables.

• OSTI ID: 5544819
• Journal Information: Research Report Health Effects Institute; (United States), Vol. 58; ISSN 1041-5505
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
INFANTS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
DISEASE INCIDENCE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
NEW MEXICO
STOVES
AGE GROUPS
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APPLIANCES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHILDREN
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
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NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
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560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
550900 - Pathology