Prenatal and postnatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and allergy symptoms in city children
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J. Jerzynska [1] ; D. Podlecka [1] ; K. Polanska [2] ; W. Hanke [2] ; I. Stelmach [1] ; W. Stelmach [1]
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[1] Medical University of Lodz
Medical University of Lodz
Łódź, Polonia
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[2] Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine
Łódź, Polonia
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- Localización: Allergologia et immunopathologia: International journal for clinical and investigate allergology and clinical immunology, ISSN-e 1578-1267, ISSN 0301-0546, Vol. 45, Nº. 1, 2017, págs. 18-24
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
Background Studies indicate that exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is associated with adverse respiratory and allergy outcomes. Exposure to PAH may impair the immune function of the foetus and, subsequently, be responsible for an increased susceptibility of children to allergic diseases.
Objectives The aim of the present study was to assess the association between mother's exposure to PAH during pregnancy and allergy diseases in their infants. We also assessed the above associations using measured PAH exposure in children's urine during the first two years of life.
Methods The current analysis was restricted to 455 mothers and their children from Lodz district. The women were interviewed three times during the pregnancy in order to collect demographic, socio-economic and medical history data. Children's health status was assessed at the age of 10–18 months and repeated at two years of age. The associations between dependent dichotomous variables and urine concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) were analysed using logistic regression.
Results We showed that higher urine concentrations of 1-HP in mothers at 20–24 weeks of pregnancy increased the risk of more frequent respiratory infections (p = 0.02) in children during their first year of life. Higher 1-HP concentrations in children's urine increased the risk of food allergy (p = 0.002) in children during their first two years of life.
Conclusions This study suggests awareness of environmental factors, which may affect children's health since PAH showed to be a risk factor for airway infections and food allergy in children after adjustment for other risk factors.
