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High altitude residents
Published in Andrew M. Luks, Philip N. Ainslie, Justin S. Lawley, Robert C. Roach, Tatum S. Simonson, Ward, Milledge and West's High Altitude Medicine and Physiology, 2021
Andrew M. Luks, Philip N. Ainslie, Justin S. Lawley, Robert C. Roach, Tatum S. Simonson
Another factor that may account for differences is relative exposure to pollution from biomass fuels. Data from the CRONICAS cohort study, for example, showed that daily users of biomass fuel were more likely to be prehypertensive and had higher blood pressure on average (Burroughs Peña et al. 2015). In addition, interventions to reduce household air pollution, including improved cookstoves, reduced systolic blood pressure from 115 ± 13 mmHg to 109 ± 10 mmHg in Quechuan women living in rural Bolivia (3000–3350 m) (Alexander et al. 2015).
Integrative Allergy and Asthma for Traditional Practice
Published in Pudupakkam K Vedanthan, Harold S Nelson, Shripad N Agashe, PA Mahesh, Rohit Katial, Textbook of Allergy for the Clinician, 2021
William S Silvers, Heidi Bailey
Indoor air may be improved by using clean burning fuels. There are several studies that link an increased incidence of asthma and breathing symptoms with indoor cooking utilizing combustible biomass fuels (Aggarwal et al. 2006, Po et al. 2011, Barry et al. 2010, Mishra 2003). Smoke is an irritant and smoking, in any form, should be avoided for both prevention and treatment of asthma (Aggarwal et al. 2006, Diette et al. 2008, Clapp and Jaspers 2017). High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters may also useful for removing indoor air pollutants. There is some controversy on their effectiveness on impacting allergy and asthma symptoms (Reisman 2001, Sublett 2011, Warburton et al. 1994, Sulser et al. 2009, Wood et al. 1998). The cleaning of indoor surfaces with a dilute bleach solution can decrease mold and bacteria, denature allergenic proteins in dust, and was associated with improved quality of life scores in children with asthma (Barnes et al. 2008). The humidity of indoor environments would ideally be maintained at less than 50% (Evans 1992, German and Harper 2002).
Indoor Air Pollution
Published in William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel, Reversibility of Chronic Disease and Hypersensitivity, Volume 4, 2017
William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel
According to Zang and Smith,46 the nonmethane hydrocarbon emissions from several types of cookstoves commonly used in developing countries were measured in a pilot study conducted in Manila, the Philippines. Four types of fuel, that is, wood, charcoal, kerosene, and LPG, were tested. Because kerosene was burned in three different types of stoves, there were six fuel/stove combinations tested. Fifty-nine nonmethane hydrocarbons were identified frequently in emissions of these cookstoves, with emission ratios to CO2 up to 5.3 × 10−3. The emissions were quantitated with emission factors on both a mass basis (emissions/kg fuel) and a task basis (emissions/cooking task). On a task basis, combination of biomass fuels (wood and charcoal) generally produced higher emission factors than combustion of fossil fuels (kerosene and LPG). One type of kerosene stove (wick stove), however, still generated the greatest emissions of some individual and classes of hydrocarbons, indicating that emissions were dependent on not only fuel types but also combustion devices. Some hydrocarbons, for example, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, styrene, and xylenes, were of concern because of their carcinogenic properties. The lifetime risk from exposures to these compounds emitted from cookstoves was tentatively estimated by using a simple exposure model and published cancer potencies. These are all found in the breath analysis of some chemically sensitive patients. 1,3-butadiene is the number 1 or 2 toxic compound found in the chemically sensitive breath.
Household use of biomass fuel, especially traditional stove is associated with childhood wheeze and eczema: a cross sectional study of rural communities in Kandy, Sri Lanka
Published in Journal of Asthma, 2023
Olivia Lall, Gayan Bowatte, Samath Dharmaratne, Adrian J. Lowe, Alicia Vakalopoulos, Isabella Ambrose, Pasan Jayasinghe, Duminda Yasaratne, Jane Heyworth, Shyamali C. Dharmage
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 4.3 million people die prematurely each year from household air pollution produced by inefficient cookstoves fueled by biomass, coal and kerosene (1). Children are particularly vulnerable to biomass fuel as their lungs and immune system are still developing (2). Evidence suggests that early life exposure to biomass fuel can consequently affect respiratory health outcomes in children, both in the short term and long term (3). As the use of biomass fuel is a modifiable risk factor, decreasing the use of biomass fuels, is likely to decrease the negative health consequences associated with their use. A recent systematic review revealed that exposure to solid fuel is associated with asthma and wheeze in children (4). However, evidence for the link between biomass fuel and allergic disease outcomes in children in LMICs is limited.
COPD in Biomass exposed nonsmokers: a different phenotype
Published in Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 2021
Surinder Jindal, Aditya Jindal
Biomass fuels are regularly used for cooking by over 2.8 billion people with an additional 1.2 billion using kerosene lamps for lighting [34]. A significant proportion of this combustion takes place in relatively poorly ventilated households where much of the effluent is released into the indoor living area. In India, for example, biomass fuels are used for cooking and heating purposes in almost 90% of rural households and about one-third of urban households. As a result, there is a large amount of particulate matter generated by the burning of biomass fuels. Ambient outdoor air pollution caused by forest fires, dust storms, industrial and traffic exhausts also adds to HAP due to free movement of air. Some of the important pollutants in HAP include carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen (NOx), ozone, and suspended particulate matter (SPM) commonly measured as of 2.5 m diameter (PM 2.5).
Understanding the relationships between environmental factors and exacerbations of COPD
Published in Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 2021
Alicia V Gayle, Jennifer K Quint, Elaine I Fuertes
Biomass fuels, namely any plant (e.g. wood) or animal-based material (e.g. dung and crop residues) deliberately burned by humans as their main source of domestic energy for cooking, home heating or lighting, harbor a multitude of hazardous compounds such as carbon monoxide, NO2, sulfur oxides, formaldehyde and polycyclic organic matter [33,34]. Exposure to biomass smoke can enhance lung inflammation and impair pulmonary anti-microbial defenses, which could lead to exacerbations in patients with COPD, although a causal mechanistic link remains to be proven [35,36]. As one-third of the world’s population uses biomass fuel for cooking and/or heating there is a clear need to evaluate this relationship. However, few studies have conclusively investigated the impact of exposure to biomass on risk of COPD exacerbations.