A Dusseldorp, H Kruize, B Brunekreef, P Hofschreuder, G de Meer and AB van Oudvorst
Department of Epidemiology, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.

The association between daily PM10 (particles with a median aerodynamic diameter of < or = 10 microns) and iron particle concentrations and respiratory health was studied in a population of adults selected for current or recent bronchodilator use. Acute changes in respiratory health were measured as changes in peak expiratory flow (PEF), and daily prevalence of respiratory symptoms and medication use as recorded in a diary. The study period was October 11 through December 22, 1993. The study population included 32 adults living near a large steel industry in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands. During the study period, 24- h average PM10 concentrations in Wijk aan Zee ranged from 36 to 137 micrograms/m3 while the 24-h average concentrations of iron, silicon, sodium, and manganese ranged from approximately zero to 6.95, 1.84, 12.02, and 0.37 micrograms/m3 respectively. The steel industry was found to contribute significantly to the PM10 concentrations, and especially to the iron and manganese concentrations in the air. The association of changes in respiratory health with changes in PM10, iron, sodium, and silicon was evaluated using a time series approach. A statistically significant decrease in PEF was found to be associated with increasing PM10 concentrations. Stronger associations were found for smokers than for nonsmokers, and for subjects reporting many chronic respiratory symptoms than for subjects reporting few such symptoms. Increased concentrations of iron tended to be associated with a decline in PEF, with a lag of 2 to 3 d, although the association did not reach statistical significance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. v. Klot, G. Wolke, T. Tuch, J. Heinrich, D.W. Dockery, J. Schwartz, W.G. Kreyling, H.E. Wichmann, and A. Peters Increased asthma medication use in association with ambient fine and ultrafine particles Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2002; 20(3): 691 - 702. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Penttinen, K.L. Timonen, P. Tiittanen, A. Mirme, J. Ruuskanen, and J. Pekkanen Ultrafine particles in urban air and respiratory health among adult asthmatics Eur. Respir. J., March 1, 2001; 17(3): 428 - 435. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. H. GAVETT, S. L. MADISON, M. A. STEVENS, and D. L. COSTA Residual Oil Fly Ash Amplifies Allergic Cytokines, Airway Responsiveness, and Inflammation in Mice Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., December 1, 1999; 160(6): 1897 - 1904. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. W. Frampton, A. J. Ghio, J. M. Samet, J. L. Carson, J. D. Carter, and R. B. Devlin Effects of aqueous extracts of PM10 filters from the Utah Valley on human airway epithelial cells Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, November 1, 1999; 277(5): L960 - L967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. P. NAEHER, T. R. HOLFORD, W. S. BECKETT, K. BELANGER, E. W. TRICHE, M. B. BRACKEN, and B. P. LEADERER Healthy Women's PEF Variations with Ambient Summer Concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, SO42-, H+, and O3 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., July 1, 1999; 160(1): 117 - 125. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Kennedy, A. J. Ghio, W. Reed, J. Samet, J. Zagorski, J. Quay, J. Carter, L. Dailey, J. R. Hoidal, and R. B. Devlin Copper-dependent Inflammation and Nuclear Factor-kappa B Activation by Particulate Air Pollution Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., September 1, 1998; 19(3): 366 - 378. [Abstract] [Full Text]