Search results for "respiratory health"
showing 9 items of 19 documents
Relationship between domestic smoking and metals and rare earth elements concentration in indoor PM2.5
2018
Cigarette smoke is the main source of indoor chemical and toxic elements. Cadmium (Cd), Thallium (Tl), Lead (Pb) and Antimony (Sb) are important contributors to smoke-related health risks. Data on the association between Rare Earth Elements (REE) Cerium (Ce) and Lanthanum (La) and domestic smoking are scanty. To evaluate the relationship between cigarette smoke, indoor levels of PM2.5 and heavy metals, 73 children were investigated by parental questionnaire and skin prick tests. The houses of residence of 41 "cases" and 32 "controls" (children with and without respiratory symptoms, respectively) were evaluated by 48-hours PM2.5 indoor/outdoor monitoring. PM2.5 mass concentration was determi…
Pre and postnatal exposure to mercury and respiratory health in preschool children from the Spanish INMA Birth Cohort Study
2021
Effects of mercury on maturing immune system have been reported, however the association with respiratory and allergy problems during infancy remains unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between pre and postnatal mercury exposure and respiratory and allergy problems among preschool children and to examine the role of potential modifying factors. Study subjects were children participant in Spanish Childhood and Environment Project (INMA, 2003-2008). We measured total mercury levels in cord blood (n = 1868) and hair at 4 years of age (n = 1347). Respiratory outcomes (wheezing, severe wheezing, chestiness, persistent cough, eczema and otitis) were obtained by questionn…
Environmental Conditions, Air Pollutants, and Airways
2019
Air pollution is a major problem worldwide, which could be even more serious for athletes who train in urban environments. Exercise increases minute ventilation and exposure to pollutants, but the literature on the effects of air pollution in athletes is relatively scarce, with the exception of chlorine exposure in athletes of aquatic sports and air pollution secondary to ice resurfacing in athletes performing in ice arenas. Although air pollution may exert detrimental effects on athletic performance, little has been published on this topic. The largest body of information regards the impact of air pollution during urban active transport, i.e., walking and cycling in cities, due to the pote…
Endurance training: Is it bad for you?
2016
Educational aims To illustrate the characteristics of endurance exercise training and its positive effects on health. To provide an overview on the effects of endurance training on airway cells and bronchial reactivity. To summarise the current knowledge on respiratory health problems in elite athletes. Endurance exercise training exerts many positive effects on health, including improved metabolism, reduction of cardiovascular risk, and reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Intense endurance exercise causes mild epithelial injury and inflammation in the airways, but does not appear to exert detrimental effects on respiratory health or bronchial reactivity in recreational/non-eli…
Smoke exposure as a risk factor for asthma in childhood: A review of current evidence
2014
Asthma is a common chronic multifactorial disease that affects >300 million people worldwide. Outdoor and indoor pollution exposure has been associated with respiratory health effects in adults and children. Smoking still represents a huge public health problem and millions of children suffer the detrimental effects of passive smoke exposure. This study was designed to review the current evidences on exposure to passive smoke as a risk factor for asthma onset in childhood. A review of the most recent studies on this topic was undertaken to provide evidence about the magnitude of the effect of passive smoking on the risk of incidence of asthma in children. The effects of passive smoking are …
On-line Italian register for severe/non-controlled asthma
2013
Background Severe/Non-controlled asthma (SNCA) is a crucial challenge for physicians and a socio-economic burden for National Health Services (NHS). In Italy more than 50% of costs for asthma (1-2% of total NHS expenditure) are due to SNCA and moreover, within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, Italy was the country with the lowest % of ICS daily use (29%) and with the highest % of subjects with uncontrolled asthma despite treatment (67% vs an overall European mean of 47%). Despite few data from very selected centers, in our country a precise estimate of the epidemiological figures and the disease related costs for SNCA is not available. Thus, we aimed at instituting of an on…
Addressing Exposome: An Innovative Approach to Environmental Determinants in Pediatric Respiratory Health
2022
Developmental age is particularly vulnerable to impacts of environmental exposures. Until recent years, the field of environment and child health has predominantly relied on the study of single exposure–health effect relationships. The exposome is an emerging concept in epidemiology, encompassing the totality of the exposures experienced by an individual throughout life and their changes over time. This innovative approach provides a risk profile instead of individual predictors. Exposome research may contribute to better understand the complex relationships between environmental exposures and childhood respiratory health, in order to implement prevention strategies and mitigate adverse hea…
Effects of E-Cigarette Exposure on Prenatal Life and Childhood Respiratory Health: A Review of Current Evidence
2021
In the last decade, widespread use of E-cigarettes (EC) has occurred all over the world. Whereas, a large amount of evidence on harm to children from conventional cigarette exposure is available, data on health effects in this population throughout different vulnerability windows are still a matter of concern. Exposure to EC during pregnancy may compromise placental function, resulting in fetal structural abnormalities. Specifically, this may cause physio-pathologic changes in the developing lung, which in turn may impair respiratory health later in life. Furthermore, there is evidence that using EC can cause both short- and long-term respiratory problems in the pediatric population and the…
Inquinamento ambientale, fumo e asma grave
2018
The health burden of air pollution on the world’s children is immense. Environmental factors are responsible for an estimated 26% of all children’s death worldwide. A large body of research exists on the effects of air pollution on children’s health, including effects on fetal growth, birth outcomes, lung development and function, asthma, respiratory infection and otitis media. It is also clearly linked to a higher risk of developing asthma, a major cause of morbidity in children. Indoor environments contribute significantly to total human exposure to air pollutants. Overall, people spend most time indoors. Pollutants remain in the air longer inside than outside. Some pollutants may be two …