The Effect of Outdoor Aeroallergens on Asthma Hospitalizations in Children in North-Western Tuscany, Italy

Maria Di Cicco, Ester Del Tufo, Salvatore Fasola, Serena Gracci, Maria Giovanna Marchi, Luca Fibbi, Giovanna Cilluffo, Giuliana Ferrante, Diego G. Peroni and Stefania La Grutta
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Maria Di Cicco: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma n. 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Ester Del Tufo: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma n. 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Salvatore Fasola: Institute of Translational Pharmacology, IFT, National Research Council, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Serena Gracci: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma n. 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Maria Giovanna Marchi: Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Tuscany (ARPAT), 50144 Florence, Italy
Luca Fibbi: Laboratory for Meteorology and Environmental Modelling (LaMMA Consortium), 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Giovanna Cilluffo: Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy
Giuliana Ferrante: Department of Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics, Pediatric Division, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy
Diego G. Peroni: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma n. 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Stefania La Grutta: Institute of Translational Pharmacology, IFT, National Research Council, 90146 Palermo, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: Few data are currently available on the effects of aeroallergens in triggering respiratory symptoms in children. To evaluate the potential effects of daily outdoor aeroallergens loads on childhood admissions, in this case-crossover study, we analyzed data from 85 children hospitalized at the University Hospital of Pisa, Italy, for asthma or asthma-like symptoms without respiratory infection, between 2010 and 2019. Data were linked to outdoor allergens, temperature, nitrogen dioxide, and relative humidity observed during the same period. A 10-grains/m 3 increase in the total aeroallergen concentration was associated with an increased risk of admission at lag 0 (OR = 1.054, 95% CI: 1.011–1.098), with a smaller effect at lag 1 (OR = 1.037, 95% CI: 1.008–1.067) and lag 2 (OR = 1.021, 95% CI: 1.003–1.039). Trends to larger effects were observed in children with sensitization to one or more aeroallergens (OR = 1.085, 95% CI: 1.004–1.173 at lag 0), in males (OR = 1.069, 95% CI: 1.009–1.132 at lag 0) and in older children (OR = 1.065, 95% CI: 1.007–1.127 at lag 0). Our study shows an association between increased outdoor allergens loads and asthma or asthma-like symptoms in children up to at least two days prior to hospitalization, suggesting that tracking aeroallergen counts may be useful to improve the management of respiratory allergic diseases.

Keywords: allergy; Alternaria alternata; asthma; climate change; pollen; sensitization to outdoor allergens (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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