Table 2.
Wind-blown dust, drying lakes and health in child populations.
| Author | Study Location | Study Group | Study Design | Sample Size | Exposure Assessment | Outcomes | Significant Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaneko et al. 2003 | Kazalinsk and Zhanakorgan (Kazakhstan) | Children 6 to 15 years old | Cross-sectional | N = 392 | Exposure was defined by proximity to the Aral Sea, such that children living in Kazalinsk (close to the Sea) were compared to children living in Zhanakorgan (far from the Aral Sea) | Prevalence of renal tubulopathy, measured by levels of N-acetyl-b-D-glycosaminidase (NAG) and beta-2 macroglobulin (BMG) in urine samples | Mean urinary NAG and BMG were both significantly higher in Kazalinsk than in Zhanakorgan (p < 0.01). The number of children with abnormal values of NAG (1.5 U/mmol Cr) was significantly higher in Kazalinsk than in Zhanakorgan (7.9% and 2.6%, respectively, p < 0.05). |
| Kunii et al. 2003 | Kazalinsk and Kzyl-Orda (Kazakhstan) | Children 6 to 15 years old | Cross-sectional | N = 815 | Exposure was defined by proximity to the Aral Sea, such that children living within 200km of the Aral Sea were compared to less exposed children 500km from the Aral Sea | Respiratory symptoms were measured using questionnaires. Pulmonary function defined by FVC was measured by spirometer. | Prevalence of current cough and wheezing were higher among the exposed participants, as was restrictive pulmonary dysfunction (10.6%) as compared to the reference group (2.6%). FVC% predicted was lower in the exposed group (median= 96.6%) than reference (median= 100.5%). |
| Wiggs et al. 2003 | Autonomous of Republic Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) | Children 7 to 11 years old | Case-crossover | N = 1499 | Dust deposition measured on a monthly basis at 16 sites. PM10 was measured using pump samplers at three sites. | Adverse respiratory health effects assessed by a health survey. The questionnaire covered socio-demography, respiratory symptoms, and living conditions | Children living in the north of the country, where aeolian dust deposition rates are greater, show a lower frequency of respiratory problems. Children located closest to the Aral Sea have fewer respiratory health problems than children living in the main agricultural and urban regions to the south. |
| Bennion et al., 2007 | Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) | Children 7 to 11 years old | Cross-sectional | N =100 | Dust deposition, as measured by amounts collected from dust traps. | Respiratory symptoms were collected by questionnaire. Lung function was assessed using a portable spirometer | Overall prevalence of wheeze was low at 4.2%, but varied by region. No association was observed between local annual dust deposition and specific respiratory symptoms. Predicted FEV1 was inversely related to dust exposure during the summer months (−1.465, 95% CI: −2.519 to −0.412) change in predicted FEV1 per 1000kg/ha annual dust deposition. |
| Hong et al. 2010 | Seoul (South Korea) | Elementary school children all 9 years old | Case-crossover | N = 110 | Filter-based gravimetric assessment of PM2.5, PM10, and metal components in PM | Pulmonary function, as measured by the PEF, using a peak flow meter to record measurements 3x/ day at 9:00, 12:00, and 20:00. | Ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were not significantly associated with PEF in school children, except asthmatics (p < 0.05). Metal concentrations bound to the particulates were significantly associated with decrease of the children's PEF (p < 0.05). |
| Samoli et al. 2011 | Athens (Greece) | Children 0 to 14 years old | Cross-sectional | N = 3601 | PM10 (daily average), SO2 (daily average), NO2 (1-hour max), and O3 (8 hours) calculated from monitors that provided data for at least 75% of the days in the analyzed period | Pediatric asthma exacerbation measured by daily counts of pediatric asthma emergency admissions. | A 10 mg/m3 increase in PM10 was associated with a 2.54% increase (95% CI: 0.06%, 5.08%) in the number of pediatric asthma hospital admissions. Statistically significant PM10 effects were higher during winter and during desert dust days. |
| Chien et al., 2012 | Taipei (Taiwan) | Preschool (≤ 6 years old) and elementary school children (7 to 14 years old) | Case-crossover | Asian Dust Storm events, as identified by the Department of Atmospheric Science at Chinese Culture University and the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency | Spatiotemporal distributions of clinic visits for respiratory disease, as measured by daily clinic visits among preschool and elementary school children registered in 12 districts of Taipei City | Compared with weeks before an Asian Dust Storm event, the rate of clinic visits during weeks after the dust storms increased by 2.54% (95% CI: 2.43, 2.66) for preschool children (≤ 6 years of age) and 5.03% (95% CI: 4.87, 5.20) for schoolchildren. | |
| Carlsen et al., 2016 | Umea Vasterbotten (Sweden) | Children 11 to 12 years old | Cross-sectional | N = 95 | PM10, PM2.5, O3, NO2 and NOx were measured at the local monitoring stations. | FENO was assessed on each participant 2x/week. Questionnaire about respiratory health, use of asthma medication, and rhinitis was filled out by parents. |
In multi-pollutant models, an interquartile range increase in 24hr PM10 was associated with increases in FENO between 6.9 ppb (95% CI: 0.0–14) and 7.3 ppb (95% CI: 0.4–14.9), suggesting exposure related sub-clinical airway inflammation in healthy children. |
| Wantanabe et. Al 2016 | Matsue (Japan) | Children 8 to 9 years old | Panel study design | N = 339 | A LIDAR was used to monitor the concentration of sand dust particles (SPM), PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and O3. | PEF measured daily by each child throughout the course of the study with the exception of Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays in the morning using a peak flow meter | An increment of 0.018 km(−1) in sand dust particles was significantly associated with a decrease in PEF (−3.62 L/min; 95% CI, −4.66 to −2.59). An increase of 14.0 μg/m(3) in SPM and 10.7 μg/m(3) in PM2.5 led to a significant decrease of −2.16 L/min (−2.88 to −1.43) and −2.58 L/min (−3.59 to −1.57), respectively, in PEF. |
| Neisi et al. 2017 | Ahvaz (Iran) | Healthy elementary school children 9 to 13 years old | Cross-sectional | N = 105 | Dusty versus normal days were defined using visibility, wind speed, and hourly PM10 concentration | FENO concentration measured using a NObreath® analyzer. FVC was measured by a spirometer | PM2.5 and PM10 were higher during dusty days than normal days. Mean FENO values were significantly higher during dusty days (20.3 ppb) than normal days (14.23 ppb) (p< 0.05). Mean FVC values were also significantly lower during dusty days versus normal (p < 0.05). |
Abbreviations used: FENO: Fraction of exhaled nitrogen oxide; FEV: Forced Expiratory Volume; FVC: Forced Vital Capacity; ISAAC: International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood; LIDAR: light detection and ranging system; NO2: Nitrogen dioxide; NOx: Nitrogen oxide; O3: Ozone; PEF: Peak Expiratory Flow; PM10: any particle measuring less than 10 μm in diameter; PM2.5: any particle measuring less than 2.5 μm in diameter; SO2: Sulphur dioxide; SPM: Suspended particulate matter; 95% CI: 95% confidence interval