Air Pollution and Asthma Exacerbations Among African-American Children in Los Angeles

Abstract

Clinical and epidemiologic evidence suggests that particulate matter and ozone are associated with exacerbations of asthma. African-American children, who experienced a marked increase in asthma morbidity and mortality during the 1980s, may represent a particularly sensitive subgroup. In order to examine potential effects of air pollution on exacerbations of asthma, a panel of 83 African-American children, aged 7–12 yr, were recruited from 4 allergy and pediatrics clinics in central Los Angeles and two asthma camps in the summer of 1992. Daily data on asthma symptoms, medication use, and peak flows were recorded for 3 mo and examined in conJunction with data on PM-IO, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, pollens, molds, and meteorologic factors. Using multiple logistic regression analysis corrected for autocorrelation, the daily probability of shortness of breath was shown to be associated with both ozone and PM-IO concentrations. The effect of particles on shortness of breath was greater among children with moderate or severe asthma. These findings were confirmed by an individual-level analysis that took full advantage of the panel study design.