Introduction

Air pollution impacts health by increasing mortality and the incidence of acute events in unhealthy individuals. In contrast, the acute effects of pollution in healthy individuals are less obvious. The present study was designed to evaluate the associations between short-term exposure to air pollution on one hand and lung function, and inflammatory markers on the other in middle-aged, non-smoking adults with no respiratory disease, in two urban areas in northern France.

Methods

A sample of 1506 non-smoking adults (aged from 40 to 65) with no respiratory disease was selected from the participants in the 2011–2013 cross-sectional Enquête Littoral Souffle Air Biologie Environnement (ELISABET) survey in two urban areas in the northern France. We evaluated the associations between (i) mean levels of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < 10 μm (PM₁₀), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ozone (O₃) exposure on the day and the day before the study examination for each participant, and (ii) spirometry data and levels of inflammatory markers. Coefficients of multiple linear regression models were expressed (except for the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio) as the percentage change [95% confidence interval] per 10 μg increment in each pollutant.

Results

Levels of PM₁₀, NO₂ and O₃ exposure were below or only close to the World Health Organization's recommended limits in our two study areas. An increment in NO₂ levels was significantly associated with a lower FEV1/FVC ratio (−0.38 [−0.64; −0.12]), a lower forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF25–75%) (−1.70 [−3.15; −0.23]), and a lower forced expiratory flow measured at 75% of FVC (FEF75%) (−3.07 [−4.92; −1.18]). An increment in PM₁₀ levels was associated with lower FEF75% (−1.41 [−2.79; −0.01]) and a non-significant elevation in serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (+3.48 [−0.25; 7.36], p = 0.07). Lastly, an increment in O₃ levels was associated with a significantly higher blood eosinophil count (+2.41 [0.10; 4.77]) and a non-significant elevation in fractional exhaled nitric oxide (+2.93 [−0.16; 6.13], p = 0.06).

Conclusion

A short-term exposure to air pollution was associated with a subclinical decrement in distal lung function and increment in inflammatory markers in healthy inhabitants of two urban areas in France. If these exploratory results are confirmed, this could suggest that even moderate levels of air pollution could have an impact on respiratory health on the general population, and not solely on susceptible individuals.

中文翻译：

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短期暴露于空气污染中：健康的非吸烟成年人与肺功能和炎症标志物的关联

介绍

空气污染会增加不健康个体的死亡率和急性事件的发生率，从而影响健康。相反，在健康个体中污染的急性影响不太明显。本研究旨在评估北部两个城市地区的短期暴露于空气污染与肺功能以及另一方面炎症标记物之间的相关性，该疾病是中年，无呼吸系统疾病的成年人，无呼吸系统疾病法国。

方法

1506非吸烟成年人没有呼吸系统疾病的样本（年龄40至65岁）从2011年-2013年的截面参与者选择的民意调查濒海润肤霜空气Biologie环境公司（ELISABET）的调查在两个城区在法国北部。我们评估了（i）空气动力学直径<10μm的颗粒物（PM ₁₀ ），二氧化氮（NO ₂ ）和臭氧（O ₃ ）的平均水平）每个参与者在研究检查的前一天和第二天的暴露，以及（ii）肺活量测定数据和炎症标志物的水平。表示了多个线性回归模型的系数（1秒内的强迫呼气量（FEV1）/强迫肺活量（FVC）比率），以每种污染物中每10μg增量的百分比变化[95％置信区间]表示。

结果

在我们的两个研究领域中，PM ₁₀，NO ₂和O _3的暴露水平低于或仅接近世界卫生组织的建议限值。NO ₂水平的增加与较低的FEV1 / FVC比率（-0.38 [-0.64; -0.12]），在FVC的25％至75％（FEF25–75％）之间的较低的强制呼气流量显着相关（FEF25–75％）（−1.70 [-3.15; -0.23]），较低的强制呼气流量在FVC的75％（FEF75％）时测得（-3.07 [-4.92； -1.18]）。PM ₁₀水平的增加与较低的FEF75％（−1.41 [−2.79; -0.01]）和高敏C反应蛋白的血清水平无明显升高有关（+3.48 [−0.25; 7.36]，p  = 0.07）。最后，O ₃的增量该水平与显着更高的血液嗜酸性粒细胞计数（+2.41 [0.10; 4.77]）和呼出的一氧化氮分数无显着升高有关（+2.93 [-0.16; 6.13]，p  = 0.06）。

结论

在法国两个城市的健康居民中，短期暴露于空气污染与远端肺功能的亚临床减少以及炎症标志物增加相关。如果这些探索性结果得到证实，这可能表明即使中等水平的空气污染也可能影响普通人群的呼吸健康，而不仅是易感人群。