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Environmental risk factors (outdoor air pollution
and climatic changes) and increased trend of respiratory allergy
D'Amato G,
Liccardi G,
D'Amato M.
Division of Pneumology and Allergology, Azienda Ospedaliera ad
Alta Specialita A. Cardarelli, Naples, Italy.
A wealth of evidence suggests that allergic respiratory diseases
such as rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma have become more
common worldwide in recent years and a great deal of etiological
and pathogenic research has been carried out to evaluate the
possible causes of this increasing trend. There is also some
evidence that increased atmospheric concentrations of pollutants
such as ozone (O3), nitric oxides (NOx), respirable particulate
(PM10) and volatile organic chemicals (VOC5), which result from
increased use of liquid petroleum gas or kerosene, may be linked
to the increased prevalence of allergic diseases which develop
more frequently in urban areas of developed countries. Since
bronchial asthma is a syndrome which can be aggravated by
inhaled compounds, the effects of air pollutants on health have
been the focus of attention. In fact, various studies have
demonstrated that inhalation of air pollutants such as O3,
nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), either
individually or in combination, can enhance the airway response
to inhaled allergens in atopic subjects, thus inducing asthma
exacerbations. Moreover, experimental studies have shown that
diesel exhaust particulate causes respiratory symptoms and is
able also to modulate the immune response by increasing IgE
synthesis in predisposed animals and humans. There is also some
evidence that air pollutants can interact with aeroallergens in
the atmosphere and/or on human airways, potentiating their
effects. In fact, by inducing airway inflammation which
increases epithelial permeability, some pollutants overcome the
mucosal barrier and lead to allergen-induced responses. However,
air pollution and climatic changes should also have an indirect
effect on allergic response by influencing quantitatively and
qualitatively the pollen production by allergenic plants.
Publication Types:
PMID: 10923585 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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