Norbäck D, Björnsson E, Janson C, Widström J, Boman G
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, Sweden.
Occup Environ Med. 1995 Jun;52(6):388-95. doi: 10.1136/oem.52.6.388.
As a part of the worldwide European Community respiratory health survey, possible relations between symptoms of asthma, building characteristics, and indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in dwellings were studied.
The study comprised 88 subjects, aged 20-45 years, from the general population in Uppsala, a mid-Swedish urban community, selected by stratified random sampling. Room temperature, air humidity, respirable dust, carbon dioxide (CO2), VOCs, formaldehyde, and house dust mites were measured in the homes of the subjects. They underwent a structured interview, spirometry, peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements at home, methacholine provocation test for bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and skin prick tests. In addition, serum concentration of eosinophilic cationic protein (S-ECP), blood eosinophil count, and total immunoglobulin E (S-IgE) were measured.
Symptoms related to asthma were more common in dwellings with house dust mites, and visible signs of dampness or microbial growth in the building. Significant relations were also found between nocturnal breathlessness and presence of wall to wall carpets, and indoor concentration of CO2, formaldehyde, and VOCs. The formaldehyde concentration exceeded the Swedish limit value for dwellings (100 micrograms/m3) in one building, and CO2 exceeded the recommended limit value of 1000 ppm in 26% of the dwellings, showing insufficient outdoor air supply. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness was related to indoor concentration of limonene, the most prevalent terpene. Variability in PEF was related to two other terpenes; alpha-pinen and delta-karen.
Our results suggest that indoor VOCs and formaldehyde may cause asthma-like symptoms. There is a need to increase the outdoor air supply in many dwelling, and wall to wall carpeting and dampness in the building should be avoided. Improved indoor environment can also be achieved by selecting building materials, building construction, and indoor activities on the principle that the emission of volatile organic compounds should be as low as reasonably achievable, to minimise symptoms related to asthma due to indoor air pollution.
作为全球欧洲共同体呼吸健康调查的一部分，研究了哮喘症状、建筑特征与住宅内挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）室内浓度之间的可能关系。
该研究包括88名年龄在20至45岁之间的受试者，他们来自瑞典中部城市乌普萨拉的普通人群，通过分层随机抽样选取。在受试者家中测量了室温、空气湿度、可吸入粉尘、二氧化碳（CO2）、VOCs、甲醛和屋尘螨。他们接受了结构化访谈、肺活量测定、在家中进行的呼气峰值流量（PEF）测量、用于支气管高反应性的乙酰甲胆碱激发试验以及皮肤点刺试验。此外，还测量了嗜酸性阳离子蛋白（S-ECP）的血清浓度、血液嗜酸性粒细胞计数和总免疫球蛋白E（S-IgE）。
与哮喘相关的症状在有屋尘螨、建筑物中有明显潮湿或微生物生长迹象的住宅中更为常见。夜间呼吸困难与满铺地毯的存在以及室内CO2、甲醛和VOCs浓度之间也发现了显著关系。在一栋建筑物中，甲醛浓度超过了瑞典住宅的限值（100微克/立方米），26%的住宅中CO2超过了推荐限值1000 ppm，表明室外空气供应不足。支气管高反应性与柠檬烯（最常见的松萜）的室内浓度有关。PEF的变异性与另外两种松萜有关；α-蒎烯和δ-蒈烯。
我们的结果表明，室内VOCs和甲醛可能会引起类似哮喘的症状。许多住宅需要增加室外空气供应，应避免满铺地毯和建筑物潮湿。通过选择建筑材料、建筑结构和室内活动，遵循挥发性有机化合物排放应尽可能低的原则，也可以改善室内环境，以尽量减少因室内空气污染导致的与哮喘相关的症状。
