Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, Vilnius, LT-10207, Lithuania.
Department of Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Eur J Pediatr. 2022 Jun;181(6):2469-2480. doi: 10.1007/s00431-022-04443-6. Epub 2022 Mar 21.
The school environment is crucial for the child's health and well-being. On the other hand, the data about the role of school's aerosol pollution on the etiology of chronic non-communicable diseases remain scarce. This study aims to evaluate the level of indoor aerosol pollution in primary schools and its relation to the incidence of doctor's diagnosed asthma among younger school-age children. The cross-sectional study was carried out in 11 primary schools of Vilnius during 1 year of education from autumn 2017 to spring 2018. Particle number (PNC) and mass (PMC) concentrations in the size range of 0.3-10 µm were measured using an Optical Particle Sizer (OPS, TSI model 3330). The annual incidence of doctor's diagnosed asthma in each school was calculated retrospectively from the data of medical records. The total number of 6-11 years old children who participated in the study was 3638. The incidence of asthma per school ranged from 1.8 to 6.0%. Mean indoor air pollution based on measurements in classrooms during the lessons was calculated for each school. Levels of PNC and PMC in schools ranged between 33.0 and 168.0 particles/cm and 1.7-6.8 µg/m, respectively. There was a statistically significant correlation between the incidence of asthma and PNC as well as asthma and PMC in the particle size range of 0.3-1 µm (r = 0.66, p = 0.028) and (r = 0.71, p = 0.017) respectively. No significant correlation was found between asthma incidence and indoor air pollution in the particle size range of 0.3-2.5 and 0.3-10 µm. Conclusion: We concluded that the number and mass concentrations of indoor air aerosol pollution in primary schools in the particle size range of 0.3-1 µm are primarily associated with the incidence of doctor's diagnosed asthma among younger school-age children. What is Known: • Both indoor and outdoor aerosol pollution is associated with bronchial asthma in children. What is New: • The incidence of bronchial asthma among younger school age children is related to indoor air quality in primary schools. • Aerosol pollutants in the size range of 0.3-1 µm in contrast to larger size range particles can play major role in the etiology of bronchial asthma in children.
学校环境对儿童的健康和幸福至关重要。另一方面，关于学校气溶胶污染在慢性非传染性疾病病因学中的作用的数据仍然很少。本研究旨在评估小学室内气溶胶污染水平及其与年幼学龄儿童医生诊断哮喘发病率的关系。这项横断面研究在 2017 年秋季至 2018 年春季的 1 年教育期间在维尔纽斯的 11 所小学进行。使用光学粒子计数器（OPS，TSI 型号 3330）测量粒径范围为 0.3-10μm 的颗粒数（PNC）和质量（PMC）浓度。从病历数据中回顾性计算每个学校医生诊断的哮喘的年发病率。参与研究的 6-11 岁儿童总数为 3638 人。每个学校的哮喘发病率从 1.8%到 6.0%不等。根据课程期间在教室进行的测量，为每个学校计算出平均室内空气污染水平。学校的 PNC 和 PMC 水平分别在 33.0 到 168.0 个/厘米和 1.7 到 6.8μg/m 之间。哮喘发病率与 0.3-1μm 粒径范围内的 PNC 以及哮喘与 PMC 之间存在统计学显著相关性（r=0.66，p=0.028）和（r=0.71，p=0.017）。在 0.3-2.5μm 和 0.3-10μm 粒径范围内，哮喘发病率与室内空气污染物之间未发现显著相关性。结论：我们得出的结论是，粒径在 0.3-1μm 范围内的小学室内空气气溶胶污染的数量和质量浓度主要与年幼学龄儿童医生诊断的哮喘发病率有关。已知：•室内和室外气溶胶污染均与儿童支气管哮喘有关。新内容：•年幼学龄儿童哮喘发病率与小学室内空气质量有关。•与较大粒径范围的颗粒相比，粒径在 0.3-1μm 范围内的气溶胶污染物在儿童支气管哮喘的病因学中可能起主要作用。
