ACID AEROSOL--RESPIRATORY EFFECTS IN INFANTS AND MOTHERS

最近但有限的流行病学数据表明， 颗粒物质的环境标准可能不足以保护 公众健康和酸性硫酸盐气溶胶颗粒可能与 对呼吸系统有不良影响 环境空气质量标准 正在考虑使用酸性气溶胶。我们将研究这两种空气 污染物，这是主要利益的室外空气质量，在一个 室内环境中，多重和潜在的相互作用的暴露 复杂的混合物可以量化更可靠的比做 在户外学习。 我们已经确定，无排气管的煤油空间加热器是 住宅颗粒质量，硫酸盐和蒸汽和颗粒酸。 一个试点 研究表明，煤油加热器用户面临的风险更高， 呼吸道症状，因此构成了一个独特的人群， 为了确定颗粒质量、硫酸盐 质量和蒸汽和颗粒酸暴露与呼吸健康 方面的影响. 这项研究验证了一个假设，即暴露于高浓度 颗粒质量（包括细颗粒质量）和酸性硫酸盐 使用煤油加热器产生的气溶胶空气污染物， 与急性或慢性上、下呼吸道疾病的风险增加有关 3-15个月婴儿的呼吸道症状（敏感人群）， 包括咳嗽、痰、喘鸣、流鼻涕/鼻塞等。 假设婴儿的暴露母亲处于 呼吸道症状的风险增加， 呼气流量 这些关联将被评估为暴露 调整其他已知或潜在风险时的响应关系 因素（编号，HN 02、SES、健康状况等）。 研究人群，从四岁时的现场分娩中选出， 康涅狄格州的医院，将排除家庭被动吸烟暴露 发生。 研究受试者将被招募到三个暴露类别中： a）无无未排气燃烧源（N=450名婴儿及其母亲）; B） 仅燃气灶（N=225名婴儿及其母亲）;以及，c）煤油 仅加热器（N=225名婴儿及其母亲）。 将收集数据 为期一年，每两周一次，涵盖全面的供暖和制冷 季节，包括婴儿和 母亲和同时使用加热器和煤气炉。 日高峰 加热期间4周内母体的流量差异 和非采暖季节将被记录。 巢式暴露评估 将使用方案，并将潜在的混杂因素 控制。 暴露中的连续反应与分类反应 将使用纵向分析对各组进行比较。 这种设计将 考虑到暴露效应和季节变化之间的区别 方面的影响. 这些结果将提供解决最近 提出了一个公共卫生问题，即颗粒物环境标准是否 保护公众健康，以及国家环境酸标准是否 needed. 它还将确定任何增加的风险， 煤油加热器用户的人口。

Recent but limited epidemiologic data suggest that the current national ambient standard for particle matter may not be adequate to protect public health and that particle acidic sulfate aerosol may be associated with adverse respiratory effects. An Ambient Air Quality Standard for acidic aerosol is being considered. we will examine these two air pollutants, which are of major interest to outdoor air quality, in an indoor environment where multiple and potentially interacting exposures to complex mixtures can be quantified with more reliability than is done in outdoor studies. We have identified unvented kerosene space heaters as a major source of residential particle mass, sulfate and vapor and particle acid. A pilot study has indicated that kerosene heater users are at higher risk for respiratory symptoms and as such constitute a unique population in which to determine the nature of an association between particle mass, sulfate mass and vapor and particle acid exposures and respiratory health effects. This study tests the hypothesis that exposures to elevated concentrations of particle mass (including fine particle mass), and acidic sulfate aerosol air contaminants, resulting from kerosene heater use are associated with an increased risk of acute or chronic upper and lower respiratory symptoms in infants age 3-15 months (a sensitive population), including cough, phlegm, wheeze, runny/stuffy nose, etc. Also tested is the hypothesis that the exposed mothers of the infants are at an increased risk of respiratory symptoms and reversible decrements in peak expiratory flow. These associations will be evaluated for an exposure response relation while adjusting for other known or potential risk factors (NO., HN02, SES, health status, etc.). The study population, selected from live deliveries occurring at four Connecticut hospitals, will exclude homes where passive smoking exposure occurs. Study subjects will be recruited into three exposure categories: a) no unvented combustion sources (N=450 infants and their mothers); b) gas ranges only (N=225 infants and their mothers); and, c) kerosene heaters only (N=225 infants and their mothers). Data will be gathered for one year on a bi-weekly basis, covering a full heating and cooling season, including reports of respiratory symptoms in both the infants and mothers and concurrent use of the heater and gas stove. Diurnal peak flow differences for the mothers for a 4 week period during the heating and non-heating seasons will be recorded. A nested exposure assessment protocol will be used and potential confounding factors will be controlled. Continuous versus categorical responses in the exposure groups will be compared using longitudinal analysis. This design will allow for a distinction between exposure effects and seasonal variation effects. The results would provide data needed to address the recently raised public health issues of whether the particle ambient standard protects public health and whether a national ambient acid standard is needed. It will also identify any increased risk for the large population of kerosene heater users.