Journal of Epidemiology
Online ISSN : 1349-9092
Print ISSN : 0917-5040
ISSN-L : 0917-5040
Association of Outdoor and Indoor Nitrogen Dioxide with Pulmonary Function in Schoolchildren
Masayuki ShimaYoshio NittaMotoaki Adachi
Author information
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1994 Volume 4 Issue 3 Pages 137-146

Details
Abstract

The effects of outdoor and indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure on pulmonary function were studied in a cohort of children attending eight elementary schools in Chiba Prefecture. A three-year series of annual pulmonary function tests was conducted from 1989 through 1991. NO2 concentration in the living room of each child's home was measured in both the heating period and the non-heating period. Children were classified into four groups according to household annual average NO2 concentration. The indoor NO2 concentration varied with the area of residence and type of heating appliance used. Analyses using log-linear models, including interactions among these environmental factors, were performed to evaluate the association of NO2 exposure with pulmonary function in schoolchildren. Interregional comparison showed that pulmonary function values, adjusted for height and age, were lower among boys living in urban areas, where air pollution levels are high, compared with boys in rural areas. In log-linear models that considered the effect of indoor NO2 concentration, boys in urban areas showed significantly depressed values of FVC and FEV0.75. Indoor air pollution was not definitely associated with pulmonary function among boys, after adjustment for the area of residence. Among girls, high indoor NO2 concentrations were associated with low pulmonary function values, while no significant relationship between area of residence and pulmonary function was shown. Girls in the over-40-ppb group showed significantly depressed values of FVC, FEV0.75 and V25 in the second testing. In the third testing, V25 was the only parameter that was significantly low. These results suggest that pulmonary function is associated with area of residence among boys and with indoor NO2 concentration among girls. However, this study could not reveal the long-term effect of indoor air pollution on pulmonary function, since this association became weaker by the third testing. J Epidemiol, 1994; 4 : 137-146.

Content from these authors
© Japan Epidemiological Association
Previous article Next article
feedback
Top