Air pollutants have been associated with a wide variety of adverse health effects in children. A description of the impact of air pollutants on children’s health is complicated by the presence of many types of air pollution and by the variety of indicators of adverse health effects. Over the period April-September 1994, the frequency of emergency room visits for asthma, bronchitis, laryngitis and bronchiolitis in the Pediatrics Department in Padua (Italy) has been documented and compared to outdoor concentrations of airborne particulate, sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ozone in a case-control study.

The highest pollution levels were observed for ozone, with average 24 hr – concentrations, ranging from 30 to 160 mcg per cubic meter, still lower than permitted limits. No significant relationships could be found between any of the pollution indices and the incidence of emergency room visits for respiratory symptoms. No difference related to air pollutants was found between daily frequency of visits between cases and controls. Only bronchiolitis in the age < 2 years was related to the concentrations of NO2 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, short-term exposure to moderately high levels of photochemical air pollution did not result in clear acute respiratory adverse effects in children.

Reprinted with Permission from Springer's Open Choice