Search

air pollution is a complex mixture; novel multipollutant approaches could help understanding the health effects of multiple concomitant exposures to air pollutants. to assess the relationship of long-term air pollution exposure with the prevalence of respiratory/allergic symptoms and diseases in an Italian multicenter study using single and multipollutant approaches. 14420 adults living in 6 Italian cities (Ancona, Pavia, Pisa, Sassari, Turin, Verona) were investigated in 2005–2011 within 11 different study cohorts. Questionnaire information about risk factors and health outcomes was collected. Machine learning derived mean annual concentrations of PM 10 , PM 2.5 , NO 2 and mean summer concentrations of O 3 (μg/m3) at residential level (1-km resolution) were used for the period 2013–2015. The associations between the four pollutants and respiratory/allergic symptoms/diseases were assessed using two approaches: a) logistic regression models (single-pollutant models), b) principal component logistic regression models (multipollutant models). All the models were adjusted for age, sex, education level, smoking habits, season of interview, climatic index and included a random intercept for cohorts. the three-year average (± standard deviation) pollutants concentrations at residential level were: 20.3 ± 6.8 μg/m3 for PM 2.5 , 29.2 ± 7.0 μg/m3 for PM 10 , 28.0 ± 11.2 μg/m3 for NO 2 , and 70.9 ± 4.3 μg/m3 for summer O 3. Through the multipollutant models the following associations emerged: PM 10 and PM 2.5 were related to 14–25% increased odds of rhinitis, 23–34% of asthma and 30–33% of night awakening; NO 2 was related to 6–9% increased odds of rhinitis, 7–8% of asthma and 12% of night awakening; O 3 was associated with 37% increased odds of asthma attacks. Overall, the Odds Ratios estimated through the multipollutant models were attenuated when compared to those of the single-pollutant models. this study enabled to obtain new information about the health effects of air pollution on respiratory/allergic outcomes in adults, applying innovative methods for exposure assessment and multipollutant analyses. • Air pollution is related to increased global prevalence of allergic disease. • New evidence on health effects in adults has been added. • The multipollutant approach has given a thorough information on health effects. • New evidence has been brought about NO 2 and summer O 3 health effects. • PM 2.5 and PM 10 have been confirmed as main drivers of health effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Alterations in global DNA methylation have been associated with oxidative stress (OS). Since chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by increased oxidative stress we aimed to evaluate the levels of global DNA methylation in this patient group. Methods We assessed methylcytosine (mCyt) levels in DNA from blood collected in 43 COPD patients (29 with mild and 14 with moderate disease) and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results DNA methylation was significantly lower in COPD patients vs. controls (4.20 ± 0.18% mCyt vs. 4.29 ± 0.18% mCyt, p = 0.02). Furthermore, DNA methylation in COPD patients with moderate disease was significantly lower than that in patients with mild disease (4.14 ± 0.15% mCyt vs. 4.23 ± 0.19% mCyt, p < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that lower DNA methylation levels were associated with presence of COPD (crude OR = 0.06, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.67, p = 0.023). This relationship remained significant after adjusting for several confounders (OR 0.03, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.67; p = 0.028). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated the area under the curve of mCyt was 0.646, with 46.6% sensitivity and 79.1% specificity for presence of COPD. Conclusions There were no significant correlations between methylation and OS indices. The presence and severity of COPD is associated with progressively lower DNA methylation in blood. However, this epigenetic alteration seems independent of oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Despite the wealth of experience in the management of asthma, the disease remains inadequately controlled in some patients, who face long-term respiratory impairment and disability. The disease has been characterised as an inflammatory condition affecting first the larger airways and eventually the smaller airways, but there is evidence that peripheral airway involvement defines a particular and more severe phenotype of asthma. For this reason, assessing functional and biological parameters reflective of small airways involvement is important prognostically. No assessment method is universally and directly representative of peripheral airway function, but the traditional spirometric tests, including vital capacity, residual volume and forced vital capacity, are somewhat correlated with this function; useful methods for further assessment include the single-breath nitrogen wash-out test, impulse oscillometry, nitrous oxide and exhaled breath concentrate measurements, as well as computed tomography to reflect air trapping and response to treatment. Formulation advancements have made for easier treatment access to the smaller airways, with the new extrafine formulations resulting in better asthma control compared with non-extrafine formulations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]