A Panel Study on Lung Function and Bronchial Inflammation among Children Exposed to Ambient SO 2 from an Oil Refinery

Fabio Barbone, Dolores Catelan, Riccardo Pistelli, Gabriele Accetta, Daniele Grechi, Franca Rusconi and Annibale Biggeri
Additional contact information
Fabio Barbone: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell’Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy
Dolores Catelan: Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications “G. Parenti” University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 59, 50134 Firenze, Italy
Riccardo Pistelli: School of Respiratory Medicine, Sacro Cuore University, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
Gabriele Accetta: Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications “G. Parenti” University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 59, 50134 Firenze, Italy
Daniele Grechi: Epidemiologia e Prevenzione, no profit social enterprise, via Ricciarelli 29, 20148 Milan, Italy
Franca Rusconi: Unit of Epidemiology, “Anna Meyer” Children’s University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139 Florence, Italy
Annibale Biggeri: Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications “G. Parenti” University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 59, 50134 Firenze, Italy

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: To determine the acute effects on respiratory function of children exposed to sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), we conducted two population-based longitudinal investigations near a major oil refinery. We enrolled 233 children, age 8–14, in Sarroch (Italy). The first study entailed five monthly spirometric visits (Panel 5). In a subgroup, children positive for history of respiratory symptoms were tested weekly (20 times) with spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement (Panel 20). Baseline questionnaires and daily diaries were recorded. SO 2 , NO 2 , PM 10 and O 3 were measured by monitoring stations. Multiple regression models were fitted. Using a multipollutant model, we found that a 10 µg/m 3 SO 2 increase at lag0–2 days determined a percent variation (PV) of −3.37 (90% confidence interval, CI: −5.39; −1.30) for forced expiratory volume after one second (FEV1) in Panel 5 and a PV = −3.51 (90% CI: −4.77; −2.23) in Panel 20. We found a strong dose-response relation: 1-h SO 2 peaks >200 µg/m 3 at lag2 days = FEV1 PV −2.49. For FeNO, we found a PV = 38.12 (90% CI: 12.88; 69.01) for each 10 µg/m 3 SO 2 increase at 8-h time lag and a strong dose-response relation. Exposure to SO 2 is strongly associated with reduction of lung function and an increase in airway inflammation. This new evidence of harmful effects of SO 2 peaks should induce regulatory intervention.

Keywords: Spirometry; FeNO; acute respiratory effects; air pollution; oil refinery; Sardinia (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/1660-4601/16/6/1057/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/6/1057/ (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:6:p:1057-:d:216619

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 ().