RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is a major source of air pollution but the impact on health in Nigeria is not well described. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study of road traffic workers and university students in Lagos. Eligible, accessible and willing participants were included in the sample. Respiratory symptoms and anthropometry were obtained from all the participants using an adapted Medical Research Council (MRC) questionnaire and they all did a spirometry test and exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) test. RESULTS: Fifty-nine individuals participated with complete data, including 47 traffic policemen and 12 students who acted as controls. The mean age (SD) was 35.1 (8.0) and 35.4 years (6.3) for the traffic workers and students, respectively. All the respondents were men. The mean (SD) duration of occupation as a traffic policeman was 4.4 (4.4) and a median of 4 years (range 1-25). There was no significant difference in the presentation of respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms between the two groups. Compared with the students, the traffic workers had higher age, height and sex adjusted forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity. Traffic policemen had significantly higher levels of exhaled CO than the students (1.18 vs 0.73 ppm, P < 0.006). CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms in both traffic policemen and non-traffic residents of Lagos metropolis, indicating widespread pollution.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Particulate air pollution is associated with increased incidence of respiratory symptoms and decreased pulmonary, function but the relative impact of pollution from different domestic energy sources is not well-known or studied. AIM: The study was aimed at assessing the association between particulate concentrations, respiratory symptoms and lung function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study comprised of randomly selected residents of three communities. These communities were selected according to the predominant type of fuel used for household cooking which were: firewood, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Assessment of the indoor PM10 levels was done by filtration using the Gent stacked filter unit sampler for collection of atmospheric aerosol in two size fractions (PM2.5 and PM10). The Medical Research Council (MRC) questionnaire was administered followed by spirometry test. RESULTS: The mean PM10 concentration in participants using LPG, kerosene and firewood was 80.8 ± 9.52 µg/m(3), 236.9 ± 26.5 µg/m(3) and 269 ±93.7 µg/m(3), respectively. The mean age and height-adjusted percent predicted forced expiratory volumes in 1 s (FEV1) for men were 127 ± 7, 109 ± 40 and 91 ± 20 and for women were 129 ± 13, 115 ± 14, 100 ± 14 in users of LPG, kerosene and firewood, respectively. A similar trend was found in the forced vital capacity (FVCs). Users of firewood had significantly lower FEV1 and FVC compared with LPG users (P < 0.05). The participants using firewood had the highest prevalence of pulmonary and non-pulmonary symptoms (57.1%), whereas subjects using LPG had the lowest (23.8%). CONCLUSION: There are high levels of particulate matter pollutions with respiratory effects in residential indoor environments in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
