Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Epidemiology. 2013 Sep;24(5):753-61. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0b013e31829e1639.
Air pollution has been associated with respiratory health effects. There is little direct evidence that reductions in air pollution related to abatement policies lead to actual improvement in respiratory health. We assessed whether a reduction in (traffic policy-related) air pollution concentrations was associated with changes in respiratory health.
Air pollution concentrations and respiratory health were measured in 2008 and 2010 at eight busy urban streets and at four suburban background control locations. Respiratory function was assessed twice in 661 residents by spirometry and measurements of airway resistance. Nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air was measured as a marker for airway inflammation.
Air pollution concentrations were lower in 2010 than in 2008. The declines in pollutants varied among locations, with the largest decline observed in a street with a large reduction in traffic intensity. In regression analyses adjusted for important covariates, reductions in concentrations of soot, NO2, NOx, Cu, and Fe were associated with increases in forced vital capacity (FVC) (∼1% increase per interquartile range [IQR] decline). Airway resistance decreased with a decline in particulate matter (PM10) and PM2.5 (9% per IQR), although these associations were somewhat less consistent. No associations were found with exhaled NO. Results were driven largely by one street where traffic-related air pollution showed the largest reduction. Forced expiratory volume and FVC improved by 3% to 6% in residents of this street compared with suburban background residents. This was accompanied by a suggestive reduction in airway resistance.
Reductions in air pollution may lead to small improvements in respiratory function.
空气污染与呼吸道健康影响有关。几乎没有直接证据表明，与减排政策相关的空气污染减少会导致呼吸道健康的实际改善。我们评估了（与交通政策相关的）空气污染浓度的降低是否与呼吸道健康的变化有关。
在 2008 年和 2010 年，在 8 条繁忙的城市街道和 4 个郊区背景对照点测量了空气污染浓度和呼吸道健康。通过肺活量计和气道阻力测量，对 661 名居民进行了两次呼吸功能评估。呼出气中的一氧化氮（NO）被用作气道炎症的标志物。
与 2008 年相比，2010 年的空气污染浓度更低。污染物的下降在不同地点有所不同，在交通强度大幅下降的街道上观察到的下降幅度最大。在调整了重要协变量的回归分析中，烟尘、NO2、NOx、Cu 和 Fe 浓度的降低与用力肺活量（FVC）的增加有关（每四分位距[IQR]下降约 1%）。随着颗粒物（PM10）和 PM2.5 的下降，气道阻力降低（IQR 下降 9%），尽管这些关联不太一致。与呼出气中的 NO 没有关联。结果主要由一条街道驱动，这条街道的交通相关空气污染降幅最大。与郊区背景居民相比，这条街道的居民用力呼气量和 FVC 分别提高了 3%至 6%。这伴随着气道阻力的降低。
空气污染的减少可能会导致呼吸道功能的微小改善。
