Ambient Pollution and Respiratory Outcomes among Schoolchildren in Durban; South Africa

Objectives. To examine associations between ambient air pollutants and respiratory outcomes among schoolchildren in Durban; South Africa.Methods. Primary schools from within each of seven communities in two regions of Durban (the highly industrialised south compared with the non-industrial north) were selected. Children from randomly selected grade 4 classrooms were invited to participate. Standardised interviews; spirometry; methacholine challenge testing and skin-prick testing were conducted. Particulate matter (PM); sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide were monitored at each school; while nitrogen oxides (NOx) and other pollutants were monitored at other sites.Results. SO2 was significantly higher in the south than in the north; while PM concentrations were similar across the city. The prevalence of symptoms consistent with asthma of any severity was 32.1. Covariate-adjusted prevalences were higher among children from schools in the south than among those from the north for persistent asthma (12.2 v. 9.6 ) and for marked airway hyperreactivity (AHR) (8.1 v. 2.8); while SO2 resulted in a twofold increased risk of marked AHR (95 confidence interval 0.98 - 4.66; p=0.056).Conclusions. Schoolchildren from industrially exposed communities experienced higher covariate-adjusted prevalences of persistent asthma and marked AHR than children from communities distant from industrial sources. Our findings are strongly suggestive of industrial pollution-related adverse respiratory health effects among these children

GSTM1; GSTP1 and NQO1 Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Asthma among South African Children

Gluthathione-S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTP1) and nicotinamide quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) genes play an important role in cellular protection against oxidative stress; which has been linked to asthma pathogenesis. We investigated whether common; functional polymorphisms in GSTM1; GSTP1; and NQO1 influence susceptibility to asthma among schoolchildren in South Africa. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from 317 primary schoolchildren; aged 9-11 years; from the urban; underprivileged socio-economic communities of Durban. GSTM1 (null vs. present genotype); GSTP1 (Ile105Val; AA ?AG+GG) and the NQO1 (Pro/Ser; CC ?CT/TT) genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction. Among the children; 30 were GSTM1 null; 65 carried the G allele for GSTP1; and 36 carried the C allele for NQO1.There was a high prevalence of asthma of any severity (46.1); with 20.4 reporting persistent asthma. The GSTP1 AG+GG polymorphic genotype was significantly associated with persistent asthma (adjusted OR = 3.98; CI = 1.39; 11.36; p-value = 0.01). Neither the GSTM1; nor the NQO1; genotype was a significant predictor of persistent asthma. Therefore; the GSTP1 A/G variant may modulate the risk of persistent asthma among our sample