Near-Road Exposure and Impact of Air Pollution on Allergic Diseases in Elementary School Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE: The study aims to classify schools based on traffic pollutants and their complex sources, to assess the environment, to determine the state of allergic diseases among students using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in children (ISAAC) questionnaire, and to assess their connection to air pollutants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of seven schools were divided into three categories according to the characteristics of their surrounding environments: three schools in traffic-related zones, two schools in complex source zones I (urban), and two schools in complex source zones II (industrial complex). ISAAC questionnaires were administered and the 4404 completed questionnaires were analyzed. RESULTS: The frequency of asthma treatment during the past 12 months showed a significant increase (p<0.05) with exposure to NO2 [1.67, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1.03-2.71] in the complex source zones. The frequency of allergic rhinitis treatment during the past 12 months increased significantly with exposure to Black Carbon (1.60, 95% CIs 1.36-1.90) (p<0.001), SO2 (1.09, 95% CIs 1.01-1.17) (p<0.05), NO2 (1.18, 95% CIs 1.07-1.30) (p<0.01) for all subjects. CONCLUSION: In terms of supporting children's health, care, and prevention related to major spaces for children, such as school zones, spaces used in coming to and leaving school, playgrounds, and classrooms are essential to ensuring not only the safety of children from traffic accidents but also their protection from local traffic pollutants and various hazardous environmental factors.

Asociación entre exposición a polvo de soja, sensibilidad alérgica y perfil de síntomas respiratorios / [Association between soybean dust exposure, allergic sensitivity and profile of respiratory symptoms]

The purpose of this study was to correlate soybean dust (SD) exposure, skin reactivity to soybean hull (SH) allergens, and symptoms of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis. A group of 365 subjects with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and a control group of 50 individuals without respiratory symptoms were studied. The level of exposure to SD is defined as follows: 1) direct (DE); 2) indirect (ID), and 3) urban (UE). All subjects completed standard questionnaires. Skin tests with a SH extract and with common allergens were performed by the prick technique (SPT). Fifty-six (15.3

) patients and no subjects from control group had positive SPT (histamine index > or = 0.5) with a SH allergen extract. The percentages of positive SPT to SH extract were 38.7

in subjects with DE, IE and UE, respectively (p < 0.001). Monosensitization to SH was absent in all subjects. The percent of subjects with positive SPTs to mites (p < 0.01), pollen (p < 0.01) and molds (p < 0.05) were higher in subjects with a positive SPT to SH versus those with a negative SPT to SH. Sixty-six percent of subjects with DE and 13.6

of subjects with IE or UE reported respiratory symptoms after SD inhalation (Odds Ratio: 12.67 [2.4-74.9], p < 0.001). Compared to subjects exclusively sensitized to mites, patients sensitized to SH presented significantly different clinical characteristics. Soybean production has been increasing in Argentina during the last 20 years, determining an increase in the population exposed to chronic SD inhalation. This fact determines a high risk of sensitization and triggering of respiratory symptoms in atopic subjects. This study demonstrates that there is: 1) a high prevalence of skin reactivity to SH in subjects with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis from Argentina and that this prevalence is associated with the level of exposure to SD, and 2) an association between sensitivity to SH and severity of asthma. Measures to avoid release and inhalation of SD in rural areas from Argentina are needed.