Impact of acute temperature and air pollution exposures on adult lung function: A panel study of asthmatics

• Published in: PloS one 2022-06, Vol.17 (6), p.e0270412-e0270412
• Main Authors: Evoy, Richard, Kincl, Laurel, Rohlman, Diana, Bramer, Lisa M, Dixon, Holly M, Hystad, Perry, Bae, Harold, Barton, Michael, Phillips, Aaron, Miller, Rachel L, Waters, Katrina M, Herbstman, Julie B, Anderson, Kim A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Activity patterns; Air pollution; Air quality; Air temperature; Asthma; Asthmatics; Atmospheric pollution; Bronchodilators; Calibration; COVID-19; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Emergency medical care; Enrollments; environmental health; exposome; Exposure; Global positioning systems; GPS; Health aspects; Health risks; Longitudinal studies; Lungs; Medicine and Health Sciences; Nitrogen dioxide; Outdoor air quality; Particulate matter; Questionnaires; Reading; Research and Analysis Methods; Respiratory function; spirometer; Spirometry; Summer; temperature; wearable sensors; wristbands
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270412

Individuals with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, are particularly susceptible to adverse health effects associated with higher levels of ambient air pollution and temperature. This study evaluates whether hourly levels of fine particulate matter (PM.sub.2.5) and dry bulb globe temperature (DBGT) are associated with the lung function of adult participants with asthma. Global positioning system (GPS) location, respiratory function (measured as forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV.sub.1 )), and self-reports of asthma medication usage and symptoms were collected as part of the Exposure, Location, and Lung Function (ELF) study. Hourly ambient PM.sub.2.5 and DBGT exposures were estimated by integrating air quality and temperature public records with time-activity patterns using GPS coordinates for each participant (n = 35). The relationships between acute PM.sub.2.5, DBGT, rescue bronchodilator use, and lung function collected in one week periods and over two seasons (summer/winter) were analyzed by multivariate regression, using different exposure time frames. Short-term increases in PM.sub.2.5 were associated with increased rescue bronchodilator use, while DBGT was associated with higher lung function (i.e. FEV.sub.1). Further studies are needed to continue to elucidate the mechanisms of acute exposure to PM.sub.2.5 and DBGT on lung function in asthmatics.