Tobacco Smoke Exposure, Urban and Environmental Factors as Respiratory Disease Predictors in Italian Adolescents

Valeria Bellisario, Pavilio Piccioni, Massimiliano Bugiani, Giulia Squillacioti, Stefano Levra, Carlo Gulotta, Giulio Mengozzi, Alberto Perboni, Elena Grignani and Roberto Bono
Additional contact information
Valeria Bellisario: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
Pavilio Piccioni: Pneumology and Tisiology Unit, National Health Service (ASL TO2), 10126 Turin, Italy
Massimiliano Bugiani: Pneumology and Tisiology Unit, National Health Service (ASL TO2), 10126 Turin, Italy
Giulia Squillacioti: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
Stefano Levra: Specialty School in Respiratory Diseases, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
Carlo Gulotta: S. Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, 10043 Turin, Italy
Giulio Mengozzi: Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, A.O.U. City of Health and Science, University Hospital, 10126 Turin, Italy
Alberto Perboni: S. Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, 10043 Turin, Italy
Elena Grignani: Environmental Research Center, ICS Maugeri, Institute of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Roberto Bono: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 20, 1-11

Abstract: Risk monitoring in childhood is useful to estimate harmful health effects at later stages of life. Thus, here we have assessed the effects of tobacco smoke exposure and environmental pollution on the respiratory health of Italian children and adolescents using spirometry and the forced oscillation technique (FOT). For this purpose, we recruited 188 students aged 6–19 years living in Chivasso, Italy, and collected from them the following data: (1) one filled out questionnaire; (2) two respiratory measurements (i.e., spirometry and FOT); and (3) two urine tests for Cotinine (Cot) and 15-F 2t -Isoprostane (15-F 2t -IsoP) levels. We found a V-shape distribution for both Cotinine and 15-F 2t -IsoP values, according to age groups, as well as a direct correlation ( p = 0.000) between Cotinine and tobacco smoke exposure. These models demonstrate that tobacco smoke exposure, traffic, and the living environment play a fundamental role in the modulation of asthma-like symptoms ( p = 0.020) and respiratory function ( p = 0.007). Furthermore, the results from the 11–15-year group indicate that the growth process is a protective factor against the risk of respiratory disease later in life. Lastly, the FOT findings highlight the detrimental effects of tobacco smoke exposure and urbanization and traffic on respiratory health and asthma-like symptoms, respectively. Overall, monitoring environmental and behavioral factors in childhood can provide valuable information for preventing respiratory diseases in adulthood.

Keywords: environmental pollution; tobacco smoke exposure; childhood; spirometry; forced oscillation technique (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/20/4048/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/20/4048/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:20:p:4048-:d:279098

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().