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Risk factors – Treatable traits
Published in Vibeke Backer, Peter G. Gibson, Ian D. Pavord, The Asthmas, 2023
Vibeke Backer, Peter G. Gibson, Ian D. Pavord
Air pollution exposure can be recognised by the use of specific pollution monitors. Much of the data generated is publicly available. In addition to measuring fine particles (P2.5, PM10), other pollutants that are used for air quality assessment in many countries include ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead.
Lifestyle and Environment
Published in Wilmer W Nichols, Michael F O'Rourke, Elazer R Edelman, Charalambos Vlachopoulos, McDonald's Blood Flow in Arteries, 2022
The adverse health effects of air pollution have been studied intensely over the last 50 years (Rajagopalan et al., 2018). Air pollution is a heterogeneous mixture of gases, such as second-hand smoke, liquids and particulate matter. Epidemiological studies have identified a strong association between air pollution and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (Brook et al., 2010). Combustion-derived air pollution (acute exposure to diesel exhaust) is associated with an immediate and transient increase in arterial stiffness (Lundbäck et al., 2009). Particle-related health consequences among welders include increased systemic inflammation and poorer vascular function, as measured by AIx and flow-mediated dilatation (Fang et al., 2009). Furthermore, it was shown that air pollution may accelerate arterial wall stiffening and heighten the amplitude of the reflection wave (Adamopoulos et al., 2010; Lenters et al., 2010). In an innovative study, the researchers noticed a decrease in aortic stiffness when walking through “leafy” Hyde Park London that was abolished when walking along a busy commercial street (Sinharay et al., 2018). Studies are needed to investigate whether interventions on subjects such as masks or air filters or generalized interventions such as reduction of emission sources from industries in polluted environments would reverse these deleterious effects.
Avoiding Risky Substances and Environmental Exposures
Published in Michelle Tollefson, Nancy Eriksen, Neha Pathak, Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan, 2021
Natasha DeJarnett, Neha Pathak
Indoor air quality can be improved by the use of air conditioning, filters, and ventilation; decreasing the sources of fossil fuel combustion sources in homes, like gas stoves; and tobacco smoke cessation. Populations can limit exposure to outdoor pollutants by avoiding outdoor activities during poor air-quality alerts, especially populations that have higher susceptibility including children, pregnant women, and older adults.36 Outdoor air quality can be improved through air pollution mitigation. Air quality sampling, monitoring, and issuing air quality alerts will help vulnerable groups know to limit outdoor activities on poor air quality days. Investing in clean energy will result in less air-harming emissions. Interventions like tree planting can also improve air quality by uptaking pollutants in the air.
Role of air pollutants in dengue fever incidence: evidence from two southern cities in Taiwan
Published in Pathogens and Global Health, 2023
Hao-Chun Lu, Fang-Yu Lin, Yao-Huei Huang, Yu-Tung Kao, El-Wui Loh
DF has existed in human history for a long time and is unlikely to be eliminated. More importantly, the emergence of DF in the temperate zone suggests an ongoing but unnoticed evolution of the mosquito vectors and the DENV, possibly due to climate change and environmental pollution, posing a threat of cross-border and global DF pandemic in the future. The current study found a sharper change in the levels of air pollutants, namely SO2 minimum, O3 maximum, CO minimum, PM10 minimum, and PM2.5 minimum, predict MDFI besides precipitation days. The sustained variables in both regression models suggest that month order, PM10, PM2.5, and precipitation days play significant roles in DF development. Our findings also highlight potential causal effects of the specific air pollutants in the DF pandemic, possibly through the alteration in human immunological status and plant physiology. Future prevention strategies should concern the harm of air pollution.
New determinants of mental health: the role of noise pollution. A narrative review
Published in International Review of Psychiatry, 2022
Alfonso Tortorella, Giulia Menculini, Patrizia Moretti, Luigi Attademo, Pierfrancesco Maria Balducci, Francesco Bernardini, Federica Cirimbilli, Anastasia Grazia Chieppa, Nicola Ghiandai, Andreas Erfurth
During the last decades, urbanisation processes and anthropogenic activities contributed to the significant increase in air and noise pollution, which occur predominantly in urban areas (Dijkstra & Poelman, 2014). Air pollution may cause detrimental effects on global health, with a higher risk for developing cardiovascular, neurological, and respiratory diseases (Attademo & Bernardini, 2017; Meng et al., 2021). Similarly, an association between noise pollution and a broad range of medical conditions has been underlined (Liu et al., 2021; Luan et al., 2021; Münzel et al., 2014). In particular, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, exposure to traffic-related noise was associated with the loss of 1.5 million years of healthy life, mainly due to sleep disturbances, cognitive problems, and cardiovascular diseases (World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2011). The WHO also established noise level guidelines, which are aimed at protecting human health from the effects of noise coming from different environmental sources (Guski et al., 2017; World Health Organization, 2018). Despite this, efforts to reduce such effects on human health are offset, since an increase in the number of people exposed to high noise levels, especially in urban environments, was documented (European Environment Agency, 2018).
Pulmonary translocation of ultrafine carbon particles in COPD and IPF patients
Published in Inhalation Toxicology, 2022
Mikaela Qvarfordt, Martin Anderson, Alejandro Sanchez-Crespo, Maria Diakopoulou, Magnus Svartengren
Epidemiological research has demonstrated an association between exposures to polluted ambient air and adverse health effects. Increased death rates have been reported after long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution (Rosenlund et al. 2006; Brook et al. 2010, 2018; Atkinson et al. 2014; Mills et al. 2015; Beelen et al. 2014; ESC Heart Failure Association, 2015). Long-term effects include development of atherosclerosis (Brook et al. 2010; Mills et al. 2007), cardiovascular disease or stroke (World Health Organization 2016). Furthermore, several studies (Brook et al. 2010; Atkinson et al. 2014; Mills et al. 2015) have reported that even a few days of exposure to acutely elevated air pollution levels can cause adverse health effects and even death. It is unclear whether these pathological events are initiated locally in the lung by inducing systemic inflammation, or if ultra-fine (UF) inhaled particles are translocated to the bloodstream, causing inflammation or activation of coagulation processes (Brook et al. 2010). In addition, there are several occupational groups that are exposed to airborne particles daily in their profession, such as firefighters, welders or in industrial production, making it necessary to clarify the imposed risk of airborne particles to be able to take appropriate health precautions.