A recent asthma study appeared in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that with various types of pollution exposure over years, asthma can become more and more uncontrolled.
About 500 asthma suffering adults from five French cities provided researchers with their region specific history of respiratory health. The information was organized around exposure levels from three types of air pollution — ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10).
The study found that asthma suffers, when exposed long-term to higher levels of ozone and particulate matter, are much more likely to experience poorer asthma control. With long-term ozone exposure, 69% of asthma suffers experienced uncontrolled asthma. When the long-term exposure was with particulates, the uncontrollable asthma risks raised 35%. Study results also found that women and older people are more likely to have uncontrolled asthma with long-term exposures. Researches said, “Our results indicate that both ambient O3 and PM10 concentrations jeopardize asthma control in adults,” and added, “Our results are robust.”
The researchers measured asthma control of symptoms, asthma attacks and lung capacity for expelling air volume in 1 second. Also, other asthma risks were considered such as obesity, smoking and inhaled corticosteroid use. These other considerations did not contribute to uncontrolled asthma.
The researchers recognized that there have been many past studies linking air pollution to worsening respiratory symptoms, prescription drugs and more hospital stays. This study’s objective was to go farther than earlier studies and investigate the impact of long-term air pollution and the effects on asthma control. Data revealed that long-term exposure of dangerous airborne contaminants will, over time, increase risks to asthma suffers for future uncontrollable asthma conditions.
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