Background: Traffic-related air pollution is a potential risk factor for human respiratory health. A Geographical Information System (GIS) approach was used to examine whether distance from a main road (the Tosco-Romagnola road) affected respiratory health status.
Methods: We used data collected during an epidemiological survey performed in the Pisa-Cascina area (central Italy) in the period 1991-93. A total of 2841 subjects participated in the survey and filled out a standardized questionnaire on health status, socio-demographic information, and personal habits. A variable proportion of subjects performed lung function and allergy tests. Highly exposed subjects were defined as those living within 100 m of the main road, moderately exposed as those living between 100 and 250 m from the road, and unexposed as those living between 250 and 800 m from the road. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the risks for respiratory symptoms and diseases between exposed and unexposed. All analyses were stratified by gender.
Results: The study comprised 2062 subjects: mean age was 45.9 years for men and 48.9 years for women. Compared to subjects living between 250 m and 800 m from the main road, subjects living within 100 m of the main road had increased adjusted risks for persistent wheeze (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.08-2.87), COPD diagnosis (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.03-3.08), and reduced FEV1/FVC ratio (OR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.11-3.87) among males, and for dyspnea (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.13-2.27), positivity to skin prick test (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.11-3.00), asthma diagnosis (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 0.97-2.88) and attacks of shortness of breath with wheeze (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 0.98-2.84) among females.
Conclusion: This study points out the potential effects of traffic-related air pollution on respiratory health status, including lung function impairment. It also highlights the added value of GIS in environmental health research.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-10-12 | DOI Listing |
Xenobiotica
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic respiratory disorder for which pirfenidone is the recommended first-line anti-fibrotic treatment. While pirfenidone has demonstrated efficacy in slowing the progression of IPF, its use is associated with several challenges and unresolved issues that impact patient outcomes. Pirfenidone administration can result in gastrointestinal side effects, photosensitivity reactions, and significant drug interactions, particularly in patients with hepatic impairment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhytother Res
January 2025
Laboratory of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China.
Renal fibrosis is the most common pathway for the development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in various kidney diseases. Currently, the treatment options for renal fibrosis are limited. Ferroptosis is iron-mediated lipid peroxidation, triggered mainly by iron deposition and ROS generation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedComm (2020)
January 2025
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that is primarily known for causing severe joint and muscle symptoms, but its pathological effects have extended beyond these tissues. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive proteomic analysis across various organs in rodent and nonhuman primate models to investigate CHIKV's impact on organs beyond joints and muscles and to identify key host factors involved in its pathogenesis. Our findings reveal significant species-specific similarities and differences in immune responses and metabolic regulation, with proteins like Interferon-Stimulated Gene 15 (ISG15) and Retinoic Acid-Inducible Gene I (RIG-I) playing crucial roles in the anti-CHIKV defense.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Allergy
December 2024
Respiratory Evaluation Sciences Program, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Background: Infant antibiotic use is associated with increased risk of asthma. We examined the population impact of antibiotic exposure in the first year of life on the burden of pediatric asthma in British Columbia, Canada, using simulation modeling.
Methods: We performed a Bayesian meta-analysis of empirical studies to construct dose-response equations between antibiotic exposure in the first year of life and pediatric (<19 years of age) asthma.
Eur Clin Respir J
January 2025
Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia and Intensive Care, The Heart Centre, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark.
E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) is a potentially severe acute interstitial lung disease primarily observed in the United States, with sporadic cases reported in Europe. EVALI, though rare, could be susceptible to under-diagnosis due to limited awareness and diagnostic suspicion. We present a case of a 19-year-old male in Denmark diagnosed with severe EVALI.
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