Vacek L
Allergy Improvement Centre, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Allergy Asthma Proc. 1999 Mar-Apr;20(2):87-93. doi: 10.2500/108854199778612536.
Increased prevalence of asthma is commonly though to be associated with increased air pollution and with lifestyle changes. This study evaluates a possible relationship of levels of exposure to outdoor pollutants and exercise-induced asthma prevalence. Two groups of students (age 14-17) in distant urban areas were randomly selected (n = 649): Group I (n = 430), Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Group II (n = 219), Prague, Czech Republic. The free running asthma screening test was performed at both locations; self-report questionnaires were distributed to all participants. Peak expiratory flow rates were used to evaluate baseline and postexercise spirometry. A 15% decrease was considered a positive response to exercise challenge. The information on ambient air quality (SO2, NO2, O3, PM10) was obtained from appropriate institutions. Of 649 subjects tested [Group I: n = 430, F = 251 (58.4%,) M = 179 (41.6%) and Group II: n = 219, F = 112 (51.6%), M = 107 (48.4%)], 81 of the participants (13.2%) responded positively to the exercise challenge [Group I: n = 55 (12.8%) and Group II: n = 26 (11.8%)]. Of the population tested, 150 (23.6%) participants self-reported a history of allergic disease [Group I: 94 (21.9%) and Group II: 56 (25.6%)]. The levels of air pollutants obtained for Group II significantly exceeded those obtained for Group I. This study reports a prevalence of 12.3% of exercised-induced asthma among high school students, when free running asthma screening test and peak expiratory flow rate are used. Significantly different levels of common pollutants do not correlate with asthma prevalence. Although it is recognized that air pollution is a well-known asthma trigger, it cannot be a simple explanation for the continued problem of rising asthma prevalence.
哮喘患病率的增加通常被认为与空气污染加剧和生活方式的改变有关。本研究评估了接触室外污染物水平与运动诱发性哮喘患病率之间的可能关系。随机选取了两个位于偏远市区的学生组（年龄14 - 17岁）（n = 649）：第一组（n = 430），加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省温哥华市；第二组（n = 219），捷克共和国布拉格市。在两个地点都进行了自由跑步哮喘筛查测试；向所有参与者发放了自我报告问卷。呼气峰值流速用于评估基线和运动后肺量测定。下降15%被视为对运动激发试验的阳性反应。从相关机构获取了环境空气质量信息（二氧化硫、二氧化氮、臭氧、可吸入颗粒物）。在649名受试对象中[第一组：n = 430，女性 = 251（58.4%），男性 = 179（41.6%）；第二组：n = 219，女性 = 112（51.6%），男性 = 107（48.4%）]，81名参与者（13.2%）对运动激发试验反应呈阳性[第一组：n = 55（12.8%），第二组：n = 26（11.8%）]。在受试人群中，150名（23.6%）参与者自我报告有过敏疾病史[第一组：94名（21.9%），第二组：56名（25.6%）]。第二组获得的空气污染物水平显著超过第一组。本研究报告称，当使用自由跑步哮喘筛查测试和呼气峰值流速时，高中生中运动诱发性哮喘的患病率为12.3%。常见污染物水平的显著差异与哮喘患病率无关。尽管空气污染是公认的哮喘诱发因素，但它无法简单解释哮喘患病率持续上升这一持续存在的问题。
