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Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) Oct 2012Air pollution is becoming a major health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. In support of this observation, the World Health Organization estimates that... (Review)
Review
Air pollution is becoming a major health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. In support of this observation, the World Health Organization estimates that every year, 2.4 million people die because of the effects of air pollution on health. Mitigation strategies such as changes in diesel engine technology could result in fewer premature mortalities, as suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This review: (i) discusses the impact of air pollution on respiratory disease; (ii) provides evidence that reducing air pollution may have a positive impact on the prevention of disease; and (iii) demonstrates the impact concerted polices may have on population health when governments take actions to reduce air pollution.
Topics: Air Pollution; Humans; Public Health; Respiratory Tract Diseases; World Health Organization
PubMed: 22726103
DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2012.02213.x -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2020Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by variable airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and airway inflammation. Evidence suggests that air... (Review)
Review
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by variable airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and airway inflammation. Evidence suggests that air pollution has a negative impact on asthma outcomes in both adult and pediatric populations. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the effect of various outdoor and indoor pollutants on asthma outcomes, their burden on its management, as well as to highlight the measures that could result in improved asthma outcomes. Traffic-related air pollution, nitrogen dioxide and second-hand smoking (SHS) exposures represent significant risk factors for asthma development in children. Nevertheless, a causal relation between air pollution and development of adult asthma is not clearly established. Exposure to outdoor pollutants can induce asthma symptoms, exacerbations and decreases in lung function. Active tobacco smoking is associated with poorer asthma control, while exposure to SHS increases the risk of asthma exacerbations, respiratory symptoms and healthcare utilization. Other indoor pollutants such as heating sources and molds can also negatively impact the course of asthma. Global measures, that aim to reduce exposure to air pollutants, are highly needed in order to improve the outcomes and management of adult and pediatric asthma in addition to the existing guidelines.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Air Pollution, Indoor; Asthma; Child; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Tobacco Smoke Pollution
PubMed: 32867076
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176212 -
Current Environmental Health Reports Dec 2017Air pollution significantly affects health, causing up to 7 million premature deaths annually with an even larger number of hospitalizations and days of sick leave.... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Air pollution significantly affects health, causing up to 7 million premature deaths annually with an even larger number of hospitalizations and days of sick leave. Climate change could alter the dispersion of primary pollutants, particularly particulate matter, and intensify the formation of secondary pollutants, such as near-surface ozone. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the recent evidence on the impacts of climate change on air pollution and air pollution-related health impacts and identify knowledge gaps for future research.
RECENT FINDINGS
Several studies modelled future ozone and particulate matter concentrations and calculated the resulting health impacts under different climate scenarios. Due to climate change, ozone- and fine particle-related mortalities are expected to increase in most studies; however, results differ by region, assumed climate change scenario and other factors such as population and background emissions. This review explores the relationships between climate change, air pollution and air pollution-related health impacts. The results highly depend on the climate change scenario used and on projections of future air pollution emissions, with relatively high uncertainty. Studies primarily focused on mortality; projections on the effects on morbidity are needed.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Climate Change; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Public Health
PubMed: 29080073
DOI: 10.1007/s40572-017-0168-6 -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2017In the last few decades, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has received increasing attention from the international scientific community, political institutions, and...
In the last few decades, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has received increasing attention from the international scientific community, political institutions, and environmental governances for improving the comfort, health, and wellbeing of building occupants.[...].
Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Environmental Health; Humans; Public Health
PubMed: 29068361
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14111286 -
Annual Review of Medicine Jan 2022Inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM), produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Exposure to PM has been... (Review)
Review
Inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM), produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Exposure to PM has been linked to increases in blood pressure, thrombosis, and insulin resistance. It also induces vascular injury and accelerates atherogenesis. Results from animal models corroborate epidemiological evidence and suggest that the cardiovascular effects of PM may be attributable, in part, to oxidative stress, inflammation, and the activation of the autonomic nervous system. Although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, there is robust evidence that long-term exposure to PM is associated with premature mortality due to heart failure, stoke, and ischemic heart disease.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Animals; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Lung; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 34644154
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-med-042220-011549 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2022Air pollution is inevitably the result of human civilization, industrialization, and globalization. It is composed of a mixture of gases and particles at harmful levels.... (Review)
Review
Air pollution is inevitably the result of human civilization, industrialization, and globalization. It is composed of a mixture of gases and particles at harmful levels. Particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxides (CO) are mainly generated from vehicle emissions and fuel consumption and are the main materials causing outdoor air pollution. Exposure to polluted outdoor air has been proven to be harmful to human eyes. On the other hand, indoor air pollution from environmental tobacco smoking, heating, cooking, or poor indoor ventilation is also related to several eye diseases, including conjunctivitis, glaucoma, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the past 30 years, no updated review has provided an overview of the impact of air pollution on the eye. We reviewed reports on air pollution and eye diseases in the last three decades in the PubMed database, Medline databases, and Google Scholar and discussed the effect of various outdoor and indoor pollutants on human eyes.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Air Pollution, Indoor; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 35162209
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031186 -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2021Air pollution is one of the major environmental health problems that people face nowadays, affecting everyone in the world [...].
Air pollution is one of the major environmental health problems that people face nowadays, affecting everyone in the world [...].
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Health; Humans
PubMed: 33668253
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052233 -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Nov 2023Air pollution causes premature mortality and increased morbidity in Denmark as well as worldwide. This review investigates how the climate changes contribute to these... (Review)
Review
Air pollution causes premature mortality and increased morbidity in Denmark as well as worldwide. This review investigates how the climate changes contribute to these through e.g., wildfires and increased levels of ozone. Air pollution and climate gases share sources such as burning of fossil fuels and biomass and thus a reduction in the use of these will improve health, mitigate climate change, and reduce societal costs simultaneously. The costs of actions against climate change could thus be reduced.
Topics: Humans; Air Pollution; Climate Change; Fossil Fuels; Ozone
PubMed: 37987437
DOI: No ID Found -
Human Reproduction Update Jan 2023Air pollution is both a sensory blight and a threat to human health. Inhaled environmental pollutants can be naturally occurring or human-made, and include...
BACKGROUND
Air pollution is both a sensory blight and a threat to human health. Inhaled environmental pollutants can be naturally occurring or human-made, and include traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), ozone, particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds, among other substances, including those from secondhand smoking. Studies of air pollution on reproductive and endocrine systems have reported associations of TRAP, secondhand smoke (SHS), organic solvents and biomass fueled-cooking with adverse birth outcomes. While some evidence suggests that air pollution contributes to infertility, the extant literature is mixed, and varying effects of pollutants have been reported.
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE
Although some reviews have studied the association between common outdoor air pollutants and time to pregnancy (TTP), there are no comprehensive reviews that also include exposure to indoor inhaled pollutants, such as airborne occupational toxicants and SHS. The current systematic review summarizes the strength of evidence for associations of outdoor air pollution, SHS and indoor inhaled air pollution with couple fecundability and identifies gaps and limitations in the literature to inform policy decisions and future research.
SEARCH METHODS
We performed an electronic search of six databases for original research articles in English published since 1990 on TTP or fecundability and a number of chemicals in the context of air pollution, inhalation and aerosolization. Standardized forms for screening, data extraction and study quality were developed using DistillerSR software and completed in duplicate. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess risk of bias and devised additional quality metrics based on specific methodological features of both air pollution and fecundability studies.
OUTCOMES
The search returned 5200 articles, 4994 of which were excluded at the level of title and abstract screening. After full-text screening, 35 papers remained for data extraction and synthesis. An additional 3 papers were identified independently that fit criteria, and 5 papers involving multiple routes of exposure were removed, yielding 33 articles from 28 studies for analysis. There were 8 papers that examined outdoor air quality, while 6 papers examined SHS exposure and 19 papers examined indoor air quality. The results indicated an association between outdoor air pollution and reduced fecundability, including TRAP and specifically nitrogen oxides and PM with a diameter of ≤2.5 µm, as well as exposure to SHS and formaldehyde. However, exposure windows differed greatly between studies as did the method of exposure assessment. There was little evidence that exposure to volatile solvents is associated with reduced fecundability.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS
The evidence suggests that exposure to outdoor air pollutants, SHS and some occupational inhaled pollutants may reduce fecundability. Future studies of SHS should use indoor air monitors and biomarkers to improve exposure assessment. Air monitors that capture real-time exposure can provide valuable insight about the role of indoor air pollution and are helpful in assessing the short-term acute effects of pollutants on TTP.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Air Pollution; Air Pollutants; Tobacco Smoke Pollution; Particulate Matter; Fertility; Environmental Pollutants
PubMed: 35894871
DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac029 -
Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia :... Aug 2022Ambient air quality, pollution and its implication on health is a topic of enormous importance that is normally dealt with by major specialists in their particular areas... (Review)
Review
Ambient air quality, pollution and its implication on health is a topic of enormous importance that is normally dealt with by major specialists in their particular areas of interest. In general, it is not discussed from multidisciplinary approaches or with a language that can reach everyone. For this reason, the Health Sciences Foundation, from its prevention area, has formulated a series of questions to people with very varied competences in the area of ambient air quality in order to obtain a global panorama of the problem and its elements of measurement and control. The answers have been produced by specialists in each subject and have been subjected to a general discussion that has allowed conclusions to be reached on each point. The subject was divided into three main blocks: external ambient air, internal ambient air, mainly in the workplace, and hospital ambient air and the consequences of its poor control. Along with the definitions of each area and the indicators of good and bad quality, some necessary solutions have been pointed out. We have tried to know the current legislation on this problem and the competences of the different administrations on it. Despite its enormous importance, ambient air quality and health is not usually a topic of frequent presence in the general media and we have asked about the causes of this. Finally, the paper addresses a series of reflections from the perspective of ethics and very particularly in the light of the events that the present pandemic raises. This work aims to provide objective data and opinions that will enable non-specialists in the field to gain a better understanding of this worrying reality.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Causality; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Pandemics
PubMed: 35277084
DOI: 10.37201/req/171.2021