Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants as a risk of airway obstruction.

Dynamic increases in the number of vehicles, particularly in large urban areas, cause a visible decline in the average speed of cars. Street networks are not able to efficiently handle generated traffic, which could result in increasing levels of air pollutant emissions and consequently in a greater incidence of people suffering from respiratory diseases. This study presents the effects of investigations on the influence of traffic-related air pollutants on inhabitants of two Polish cities living in the proximity of busy roads. As a control group rural area residents were taken. In 2005-2006 and 2008-2009 respiratory function tests were conducted on a group of 3,506 people (including residents of non-urban areas). The investigation has shown that people living near busy urban roads had a significant increase in the risk of bronchi obstruction.

Influence of traffic-related air pollutants on lung function.

We investigated the influence of traffic-related air pollutants on respiratory function, with a focus on the non-smoking residents of the capital city of Warsaw in Poland, who lived close to busy streets. The results demonstrate that people living in some parts of the city show symptoms of bronchial obstruction over four times more often than those from the control group consisting of the inhabitants of a remote region in eastern Poland, with considerably less air pollution. Using multiple regression models it was shown that, apart from the place of living, the floor the apartment is situated on, the length of residence, allergy, and physical activity are the factors that significantly influence the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and the pseudo-Tiffenau index (FEV1/FVC).

Financing Costs and Health Effects of Air Pollution in the Tri-City Agglomeration.

This paper examines the relationship between the presence of air pollution and incidence of selected respiratory diseases in the urban population of the Tri-City agglomeration. The study takes into consideration the specific character of the region, relating to coastal, and port-based shipping. Three research hypotheses formulated the study. General regression models were used to identify the health effects of air pollution and developed health costs were calculated in relation to the treatment of diseases. The findings have shown that air pollution and climatic conditions in the Tri-City aggravate the symptoms of bronchial asthma, while also increasing the number of cases of exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia. The evidence demonstrates the negative impact of shipping on the health condition of the inhabitants. The calculations have shown the extent of financial losses incurred in connection with the treatment of diseases found to have been caused by air pollution. The estimated health costs turned out to be significant for each of the examined diseases. The financial inefficiency of the Polish health care system has also been demonstrated. All the models have been identified for monthly data for the first time.

Air Pollutants' Concentrations Are Associated with Increased Number of RSV Hospitalizations in Polish Children.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) contributes significantly to pediatric hospitalizations. An association between air pollution and an increased number of RSV cases has been suggested. We sought to evaluate the short-term impact of air pollutants on RSV hospitalizations in Polish children in the period 2010-2019. Daily concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 µm and 2.5 µm, respectively) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were analyzed in general regression models (GRM) to establish their influence and full interaction scheme. Significant seasonal and annual periodicity among 53,221 hospitalizations was observed; finally, data from the 2012-2019 RSV high-risk seasons created models for seven agglomerations. The addition of PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 to the basic model for RSV seasonality explained 23% (4.9-31%, univariate model) to 31.4% (8.4-31%, multivariate model) of the variance in RSV hospitalizations. A 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 concentrations was associated with 0.134 (0.087-0.16), 0.097 (0.031-0.087), and 0.212 (0.04-0.29) average increases in hospitalizations, respectively. In the multivariate models, PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 alone, as well as PM2.5-NO2, PM2.5-PM10, and PM10-NO2 interactions, were associated with hospitalizations in some of the locations, while the metaregression showed statistically significant interactions between each of the pollutants, and between the pollutants and the year of the study. The inclusion of PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 in GRM explains a significant number of RSV hospitalizations. The pollutants act alone and interact together in a varied manner. Reducing air contamination might decrease the costs of hospital healthcare.