Why are asthma rates soaring? hygiene? pollutants? antioxidant supplementation?

[Guest guest]

Why are asthma rates soaring?

<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-are-asthma-rates-soaring>

By Veronique Greenwood Scientific American 14 April 2011

Asthma rates have been surging around the globe over the past three

decades, and for a long time researchers thought they had a good idea of

what might be fueling the increase: the world we live in is just a

little too clean. But now scientists are concluding that 'the hygiene

hypothesis' is not consistent with the data.

Contrary to this hypothesis, asthma rates have skyrocketed in urban

areas in the U.S. that are not particularly clean. And the pattern of

increase in the developed world doesn't match trends in sanitation.

= = = =

Although fixated on the hygiene hypothesis, Veronique manages to mention

pollution, " Pollutants in the air can irritate the airways and cause

inflammation that leads to constricted breathing. "

Therefore, enjoy pubmed:

asthma AND (pollution OR particulat* OR ozone)

eg

Outdoor Air Pollution and Asthma in Children.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21486196>

Tzivian L.

J Asthma. 2011 Apr 13.

We reviewed studies published between 2006 and 2009 examining the effect

of outdoor air pollution on asthma in children. In total, we evaluated

25 articles; of these, 9 were published in 2006, 3 in 2007, 8 in 2008,

and 5 in 2009. Of these 25 studies, 1 was a clinical trial, 6 were

cross-sectional, 4 were case-control (2 with a case-crossover design),

12 were cohort prospective, and 2 were cohort retrospective studies with

varied follow-up times ranging from 10 days to 7 years. The ages of

children also differed, ranging from birth to 18 years of age.

Conclusions. All studies reviewed in this work indicate that outdoor air

pollution affects the appearance and exacerbation of asthma in children.

Environmental pollution and lung effects in children.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21467938>

Searing DA, Rabinovitch N.

Curr Opin Pediatr. 2011 Apr 5

SUMMARY: Ambient pollution levels may be associated with both asthma

incidence and severity. Susceptibility to air pollution may be higher in

children with genetic polymorphisms related to the 'oxidant stress

pathways'. Potential interventions for susceptible children at risk for

asthma development and/or severity include decreased exposure on high

air pollution days, especially in the summer months, and antioxidant

supplementation. On the population level, changes in school and home

zoning to increase distance from busy roadways may help reduce both

asthma incidence and severity.

Indoor particulate matter increases asthma morbidity in children with

non-atopic and atopic asthma. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21457879>

McCormack MC, Breysse PN, Matsui EC, Hansel NN, Peng RD, Curtin-Brosnan

J, DL, Wills-Karp M, Diette GB; Center for Childhood Asthma in

the Urban Environment.

Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2011 Apr;106(4):308-15.

CONCLUSIONS: In-home particles similarly cause increased symptoms of

asthma in non-atopic and atopic children. Environmental control

strategies that reduce particle concentrations may prove to be an

effective means of improving asthma outcomes, especially for non-atopic

asthma, for which there are few environmental control practice

recommendations.

see also:

Residential Proximity to Freeways and Autism in the CHARGE study.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21156395>

Volk HE, Hertz-Picciotto I, Delwiche L, Lurmann F, McConnell R.

Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Dec 13.

PAH/Aromatic DNA Adducts in Cord Blood and Behavior Scores in New York

City Children. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21486719>

Perera FP, Wang S, Vishnevetsky J, Zhang B, Cole KJ, Tang D, Rauh V,

DH.

Environ Health Perspect. 2011 Apr 4.

Proximity to point sources of environmental mercury release as a

predictor of autism prevalence.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18353703>

Palmer RF, Blanchard S, Wood R.

Health Place. 2009 Mar;15(1):18-24.

Autism spectrum disorders in relation to distribution of hazardous air

pollutants in the san francisco bay area.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16966102>

Windham GC, Zhang L, Gunier R, Croen LA, Grether JK.

Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Sep;114(9):1438-44.

Environmental mercury release, special education rates, and autism

disorder: an ecological study of Texas.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16338635>

Palmer RF, Blanchard S, Stein Z, Mandell D, C.

Health Place. 2006 Jun;12(2):203-9.