Preconceptional, prenatal and postnatal exposure to outdoor and indoor environmental factors on allergic diseases/symptoms in preschool children

Qihong Deng; Chan Lu; Cuiyun Ou; Lv Chen; Hong Yuan

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.03.032

Preconceptional, prenatal and postnatal exposure to outdoor and indoor environmental factors on allergic diseases/symptoms in preschool children

Chemosphere. 2016 Jun:152:459-67. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.03.032. Epub 2016 Mar 19.

Authors

Qihong Deng¹, Chan Lu², Cuiyun Ou², Lv Chen³, Hong Yuan⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Institute of Environmental Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: qhdeng@csu.edu.cn.
² School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
³ School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁴ Institute of Environmental Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

PMID: 27003368
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.03.032

Abstract

Background: Environmental factors have been found to be associated with allergic diseases, but it is unclear which environmental factor during which exposure window causes what kind of allergic diseases.

Objectives: We investigated association between exposure to some predominant outdoor and indoor environmental factors during preconceptional, prenatal, and postnatal periods and allergic diseases/symptoms in 2598 children in China.

Methods: Children's lifetime incidence of allergic diseases and current prevalence of allergic symptoms and exposure to indoor new furniture/redecoration and mold/dampness was surveyed by a questionnaire. Exposure to outdoor air pollutants was estimated by the concentrations measured at air quality monitoring stations. Multiple logistic regression model was used to evaluate the associations between outdoor air pollutants and indoor environmental factors and allergic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema) and symptoms (wheezing, night cough, and rhinitis-like).

Results: We found that preconceptional, prenatal, and postnatal exposure to outdoor industrial and traffic air pollutants were significantly associated with increase in the risk of childhood asthma, and also positively associated with allergic rhinitis and eczema. However, we cannot distinguish the effect of outdoor air pollutants and exposure windows because of their high correlations. New furniture was associated with eczema and allergic rhinitis during postnatal exposure, but redecoration associated with asthma and eczema during prenatal exposure. Indoor visible mold/damp stains was significant for eczema during prenatal exposure and asthma during postnatal exposure respectively, but window condensation was significant for all childhood allergic diseases during both prenatal and postnatal exposures. Allergic symptoms in children were found to be associated with exposure to indoor factors only.

Conclusions: Associations between outdoor air pollutants and indoor environmental factors and childhood allergic diseases/symptoms were divergent and related to the timing of exposure.

Keywords: Allergic rhinitis; Asthma; Eczema; Indoor mold and dampness; Indoor renovation; Outdoor air pollution.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / adverse effects*
Air Pollution, Indoor / adverse effects*
Child
Child, Preschool
China / epidemiology
Eczema / epidemiology*
Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
Female
Fungi
Humans
Hypersensitivity / epidemiology*
Logistic Models
Male
Maternal-Fetal Exchange
Pregnancy
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

Air Pollutants