Is the cholesterol-perfluoroalkyl substance association confounded by dietary fiber intake?: a Bayesian analysis of NHANES data with adjustment for measurement error in fiber intake.

BACKGROUND: Serum concentrations of total cholesterol and related lipid measures have been associated with serum concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in humans, even among those with only background-level exposure to PFAS. Fiber is known to decrease serum cholesterol and a recent report based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that PFAS and fiber are inversely associated. We hypothesized that confounding by dietary fiber may account for some of the association between cholesterol and PFAS. METHODS: We implemented a Bayesian correction for measurement error in estimated intake of dietary fiber to evaluate whether fiber confounds the cholesterol-PFAS association. The NHANES measure of diet, two 24-h recalls, allowed calculation of an estimate of the "true" long-term fiber intake for each subject. We fit models to the NHANES data on serum cholesterol and serum concentration of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and two other PFAS for 7,242 participants in NHANES. RESULTS: The Bayesian model, after adjustment for soluble fiber intake, suggested a decrease in the size of the coefficient for PFOA by 6.4% compared with the fiber-unadjusted model. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the association of serum cholesterol with PFAS was not substantially confounded by fiber intake.

Underground salt and potash workers exposed to nitrogen oxides and diesel exhaust: assessment of specific effect biomarkers.

PURPOSE: Occupational exposure limits (OEL) for nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2) and diesel exhaust (EC-DPM) were reassessed by the German authorities in 2016/2017. We performed a clinical cross-sectional study among salt and potash underground workers exposed to these substances at relatively high levels to examine possible indicators of acute effects on workers' health. METHODS: We measured post- versus pre-shift differences in cardiovascular, inflammatory, immune, and respiratory effect biomarkers and assessed their associations with personal exposures measured during the same shift. We also compared post- versus pre-shift differences in biomarker levels between exposure groups defined based on work site and job type. RESULTS: None of the above-ground workers exceeded the OEL for NO2 and only 5% exceeded the OEL for EC-DPM exposure. Among underground workers, 33% of miners and 7% underground maintenance workers exceeded the OEL for NO2; the OEL for EC-DPM was exceeded by 56% of miners and 17% of maintenance workers. Some effect biomarkers (thrombocytes, neutrophils, MPO, TNF-α, IgE, FeNO) showed statistically significant differences between pre- versus post-shift measurements; however, there were no consistent associations between pre- and post-shift differences and exposure group or personal exposure measurements during the shift. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find evidence of associations between workplace exposure to NO, NO2 or EC-DPM and clinically relevant indicators of acute cardiovascular, inflammatory and immune, or respiratory effects among salt and potash underground workers in Germany.

C-reactive protein from dried blood spots: Application to household air pollution field studies.

Household air pollution (HAP) is estimated to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but little clinical evidence exists and collecting biomarkers of disease risk is difficult in low-resource settings. Among 54 Nicaraguan women with woodburning cookstoves, we evaluated cross-sectional associations between 48-hour measures of HAP (eg, fine particulate matter, PM2.5 ) and C-reactive protein (CRP) via dried blood spots; secondary analyses included seven additional biomarkers of systemic injury and inflammation. We conducted sub-studies to calculate the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) in biomarkers collected over four consecutive days in Nicaragua and to assess the validity of measuring biomarkers in dried blood by calculating the correlation with paired venous-drawn samples in Colorado. Measures of HAP were associated with CRP (eg, a 25% increase in indoor PM2.5 was associated with a 7.4% increase in CRP [95% confidence interval: 0.7, 14.5]). Most of the variability in CRP concentrations over the 4-day period was between-person (ICC: 0.88), and CRP concentrations were highly correlated between paired dried blood and venous-drawn serum (Spearman ρ = .96). Results for secondary biomarkers were primarily consistent with null associations, and the sub-study ICCs and correlations were lower. Assessing CRP via dried blood spots provides a feasible approach to elucidate the association between HAP and cardiovascular disease risk.

Exposure to household air pollution from biomass cookstoves and self-reported symptoms among women in rural Honduras.

Household air pollution from combustion of solid fuels is an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality, causing an estimated 2.6 million premature deaths globally in 2016. Self-reported health symptoms are a meaningful measure of quality of life, however, few studies have evaluated symptoms and quantitative measures of exposure to household air pollution. We assessed the cross-sectional association of self-reported symptoms and exposures to household air pollution among women in rural Honduras using stove type (traditional [n = 76]; cleaner-burning Justa [n = 74]) and 24-hour average personal and kitchen fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations. The odds of prevalent symptoms were higher among women using traditional stoves vs Justa stoves (e.g. headache: odds ratio = 2.23; 95% confidence interval = 1.13-4.39). Associations between symptoms and measured PM2.5 were generally consistent with the null. These results add to the evidence suggesting reduced exposures and better health-related quality of life among women using cleaner-burning biomass stoves.

Household air pollution from biomass-burning cookstoves and metabolic syndrome, blood lipid concentrations, and waist circumference in Honduran women: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels affects nearly 3 billion people worldwide and is responsible for an estimated 2.5 million premature deaths and 77 million disability-adjusted life years annually. Investigating the effect of household air pollution on indicators of cardiometabolic disease, such as metabolic syndrome, can help clarify the pathways between this widespread exposure and cardiovascular diseases, which are increasing in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: Our cross-sectional study of 150 women in rural Honduras (76 with traditional stoves and 74 with cleaner-burning Justa stoves) explored the effect of household air pollution exposure on cardiovascular disease risk factors. Household air pollution was measured by stove type and 24-h average kitchen and personal fine particulate matter [PM2.5] mass and black carbon concentrations. Health endpoints included non-fasting total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, calculated low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, waist circumference to indicate abdominal obesity, and presence of metabolic syndrome (defined by current modified international guidelines: waist circumference ≥ 80 cm plus any two of the following: triglycerides > 200 mg/dL, HDL < 50 mg/dL, systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mmHg, or glycated hemoglobin > 5.6%). RESULTS: Forty percent of women met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. The prevalence ratio [PR] for metabolic syndrome (versus normal) per interquartile range increase in kitchen PM2.5 and kitchen black carbon was 1.16 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.34) per 312 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, and 1.07 (95% CI: 1.03-1.12) per 73 µg/m3 increase in black carbon. There is suggestive evidence of a stronger effect in women ≥ 40 years of age compared to women < 40 (p-value for interaction = 0.12 for personal PM2.5). There was no evidence of associations between all other exposure metrics and health endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among our study population was high compared to global estimates. We observed a suggestive effect between metabolic syndrome and exposure to household air pollution. These results for metabolic syndrome may be driven by specific syndrome components, such as blood pressure. Longitudinal research with repeated health and exposure measures is needed to better understand the link between household air pollution and indicators of cardiometabolic disease risk.

Assessing the Likelihood and Magnitude of a Population Health Benefit Following the Market Introduction of a Modified-Risk Tobacco Product: Enhancements to the Dynamic Population Modeler, DPM(+1).

Researchers and those responsible for evaluating and implementing policies intended to reduce population harm must assess the potential for both intended and unintended consequences associated with those policies. Such assessments should be based on the combined dimensions of magnitude, and thus likelihood, of shifts in exposure patterns needed to produce a population benefit or harm, and magnitude of the expected population benefit or harm. In response to this assessment need, we provide a conceptual description of the dynamic population modeler, DPM(+1), as well as illustrative analyses that estimate the effects on all-cause mortality, life expectancy, and quality of life-adjusted life expectancy if exposure patterns in the population shift from a higher risk product (e.g., cigarettes) to a lower, or modified, risk tobacco product (MRTP) in specified ways. Estimates from these analyses indicate that, within a single birth cohort, switching completely from cigarette smoking to MRTP use is more likely to lead to a population-level survival benefit than initiating tobacco use with an MRTP instead of cigarettes. This is because tobacco initiation rarely occurs beyond young adulthood, whereas continuing smokers exist in all subsequent age categories, leading to a greater cumulative effect. In addition, complete switching to MRTP use among a small proportion of smokers in each age category offsets the survival deficit caused by unintended shifts in exposure patterns, such as MRTP initiation among never tobacco users followed by transitioning to cigarette smoking and/or cigarette smokers switching to MRTP use instead of quitting.

REPEATABILITY AND RELIABILITY OF GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE DETERMINATION VIA GAMMA CAMERA UPTAKE OF TC-99M-DTPA IN CATS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE.

Measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) via gamma camera uptake of 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid is a standard method for quantifying renal function. Aims of this retrospective, observer agreement study were to determine intra- and interobserver variation in GFR values for cats with chronic kidney disease and to determine whether renal insufficiency classification changed between observers. Guideline cut-points were established for the difference in repeated GFRs to differentiate changes caused by therapeutic effect vs. inherent variation. Included cats had a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease and had undergone GFR examinations between the years of 2010 and 2013. Twenty-nine GFR studies were sampled. Each study was read twice, 6 months apart, by two veterinary radiologists and one radiology resident. Modified Bland-Altman plots were used to investigate differences between readings 1 and 2 by observer and between pairs of observers by reading. Reliability of clinical classification was assessed through comparisons between readings and observers. Measurements were not systematically different between readings for the experienced observers but were higher in reading 1 than reading 2 for the inexperienced observer. Measurements were not systematically different between the experienced observers in reading 1 or between any two observers in reading 2. Reliability for GFR measurements was high among experienced observers; variations in GFR measurements rarely led to differences in clinical classification. Results suggested that, for experienced observers, changes in GFR values following treatment in cats with chronic kidney disease between -0.4 and 0.4 mL/min/kg may be due to inherent variability rather than treatment effect.

Associations between thoracic radiographic changes and severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension diagnosed in 60 dogs via Doppler echocardiography: A retrospective study.

Doppler echocardiography is a noninvasive method for estimating and grading pulmonary arterial hypertension. No current literature associates significance of radiographic findings with severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension. We hypothesized that the number and conspicuity of radiographic findings suggestive of pulmonary arterial hypertension would be greater based on the severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Dogs with pulmonary arterial hypertension and normal control dogs were included in this retrospective, case control study. Three radiologists blinded to echocardiographic results scored thoracic radiographs for right ventricular and main pulmonary artery enlargement and pulmonary lobar artery enlargement, tortuosity, and blunting by multiple methods. Presence or absence of each finding was scored in an additive fashion and averaged for each grade of pulmonary arterial hypertension severity. Seventy-one dogs (60 dogs with pulmonary arterial hypertension and 11 control dogs) of which some had multiple studies were included: 20 mild, 21 moderate, 25 severe, and 11 absent pulmonary arterial hypertension. The following radiographic findings were significantly associated with increasing pulmonary arterial hypertension severity: right ventricular enlargement by "reverse D" and "3/5-2/5 cardiac ratio" methods, main pulmonary artery enlargement, and caudal lobar artery enlargement by the "3rd rib" method. Mean scores for severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and normal dogs were significantly different (P-value < 0.0001). Mean scores between different pulmonary arterial hypertension grades increased with severity but were not statistically significant. Individually and in combination, radiographic findings performed poorly in differentiating severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Findings indicated that thoracic radiographs should be utilized in conjunction with Doppler echocardiography in a complete diagnostic work-up for dogs with suspected pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Can Incorrect Analysis of Time-Dependent Exposure Explain Associations between PM2.5 Exposure and Risk of Dementia?

Background: Epidemiological studies have reported positive associations between long-term exposure to particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5) and risk of Alzheimer's disease and other clinical dementia. Many of these studies have analyzed data using Cox Proportional Hazards (PH) regression, which estimates a hazard ratio (HR) for the treatment (in this case, exposure) effect on the time-to-event outcome while adjusting for influential covariates. PM2.5 levels vary over time. As air quality standards for PM2.5 have become more stringent over time, average outdoor PM2.5 levels have decreased substantially. Objective: Investigate whether a Cox PH analysis that does not properly account for exposure that varies over time could produce a biased HR of similar magnitude to the HRs reported in recent epidemiological studies of PM2.5 and dementia risk. Methods: Simulation analysis. Results: We found that the biased HR can affect statistical analyses that consider exposure levels at event times only, especially if PM2.5 levels decreased consistently over time. Furthermore, the direction of such bias is away from the null and of a magnitude that is consistent with the reported estimates of dementia risk in several epidemiological studies of PM2.5 exposure (HR≈1.2 to 2.0). Conclusions: This bias can be avoided by correctly assigning exposure to study subjects throughout the entire follow-up period. We recommend that investigators provide a detailed description of how time-dependent exposure variables were accounted for in their Cox PH analyses when they report their results.

A dynamic population model for estimating all-cause mortality due to lifetime exposure history.

We developed a comprehensive, flexible dynamic model that estimates all-cause mortality for a hypothetical cohort. All model input is user-specified. In the base case, members of the cohort may be exposed to a high risk product as they age. The counterfactual scenario includes exposure to both a high risk and a lower risk product. The model sorts the population into age and exposure categories, and applies the appropriate mortality rates to each category. The model tracks individual exposure histories, and estimates, at the end of each modeled age category, the number of survivors in the two exposure scenarios (base case and counterfactual), and the difference between them. Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques are used to estimate the variability of the results. Model output was compared against US and Swedish life tables using population-specific tobacco exposure transition probabilities derived from the literature, and it produced similar survival estimates.

Cross-sectional Study of Workers Employed at a Copper Smelter-Effects of Long-term Exposures to Copper on Lung Function and Chronic Inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of exposure to copper-containing dust on lung function and inflammatory endpoints among workers of a German copper plant, effects rarely studied before. METHODS: One hundred four copper-exposed smelter workers and 70 referent workers from the precious metal and lead facilities were included, with different metal exposures in both groups due to the different process materials. Body plethysmography, exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurements, and blood sampling were conducted in all workers. Smoking status and the use of respiratory protective equipment were considered. In a subgroup of 40 nonsmoking volunteers (28 copper-exposed and 12 referents), sputum biomarkers were assessed. RESULTS: Median lung function values of both copper-exposed and the referent groups were within reference ranges of "healthy" individuals, and statistical differences between the groups were mostly not evident. Similarly, differences in blood and sputum biomarkers were too small to be biologically relevant. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the absence of the detectable effects of copper-containing dust exposure on lung function or chronic inflammation within the investigated cohort.

Household air pollution from wood-burning cookstoves and C-reactive protein among women in rural Honduras.

Household air pollution from solid fuel combustion was estimated to cause 2.31 million deaths worldwide in 2019; cardiovascular disease is a substantial contributor to the global burden. We evaluated the cross-sectional association between household air pollution (24-h gravimetric kitchen and personal particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC)) and C-reactive protein (CRP) measured in dried blood spots among 107 women in rural Honduras using wood-burning traditional or Justa (an engineered combustion chamber) stoves. A suite of 6 additional markers of systemic injury and inflammation were considered in secondary analyses. We adjusted for potential confounders and assessed effect modification of several cardiovascular-disease risk factors. The median (25th, 75th percentiles) 24-h-average personal PM2.5 concentration was 115 µg/m3 (65,154 µg/m3) for traditional stove users and 52 µg/m3 (39, 81 µg/m3) for Justa stove users; kitchen PM2.5 and BC had similar patterns. Higher concentrations of PM2.5 and BC were associated with higher levels of CRP (e.g., a 25% increase in personal PM2.5 was associated with a 10.5% increase in CRP [95% CI: 1.2-20.6]). In secondary analyses, results were generally consistent with a null association. Evidence for effect modification between pollutant measures and four different cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., high blood pressure) was inconsistent. These results support the growing evidence linking household air pollution and cardiovascular disease.

Early detection of neuropathophysiology using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in asymptomatic cats with feline immunodeficiency viral infection.

HIV infection results in a highly prevalent syndrome of cognitive and motor disorders designated as HIV-associated dementia (HAD). Neurologic dysfunction resembling HAD has been documented in cats infected with strain PPR of the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), whereas another highly pathogenic strain (C36) has not been known to cause neurologic signs. Animals experimentally infected with equivalent doses of FIV-C36 or FIV-PPR, and uninfected controls were evaluated by magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DW-MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) at 17.5-18 weeks post-infection, as part of a study of viral clade pathogenesis in FIV-infected cats. The goals of the MR imaging portion of the project were to determine whether this methodology was capable of detecting early neuropathophysiology in the absence of outward manifestation of neurological signs and to compare the MR imaging results for the two viral strains expected to have differing degrees of neurologic effects. We hypothesized that there would be increased diffusion, evidenced by the apparent diffusion coefficient as measured by DW-MRI, and altered metabolite ratios measured by MRS, in the brains of FIV-PPR-infected cats relative to C36-infected cats and uninfected controls. Increased apparent diffusion coefficients were seen in the white matter, gray matter, and basal ganglia of both the PPR and C36-infected (asymptomatic) cats. Thalamic MRS metabolite ratios did not differ between groups. The equivalently increased diffusion by DW-MRI suggests similar indirect neurotoxicity mechanisms for the two viral genotypes. DW-MRI is a sensitive tool to detect neuropathophysiological changes in vivo that could be useful during longitudinal studies of FIV.

Menstrual cycle characteristics and reproductive hormone levels in women exposed to atrazine in drinking water.

Atrazine is the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S. and a wide-spread groundwater contaminant. Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence exists that atrazine disrupts reproductive health and hormone secretion. We examined the relationship between exposure to atrazine in drinking water and menstrual cycle function including reproductive hormone levels. Women 18-40 years old residing in agricultural communities where atrazine is used extensively (Illinois) and sparingly (Vermont) answered a questionnaire (n=102), maintained menstrual cycle diaries (n=67), and provided daily urine samples for analyses of luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol and progesterone metabolites (n=35). Markers of exposures included state of residence, atrazine and chlorotriazine concentrations in tap water, municipal water and urine, and estimated dose from water consumption. Women who lived in Illinois were more likely to report menstrual cycle length irregularity (odds ratio (OR)=4.69; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-13.95) and more than 6 weeks between periods (OR=6.16; 95% CI: 1.29-29.38) than those who lived in Vermont. Consumption of >2 cups of unfiltered Illinois water daily was associated with increased risk of irregular periods (OR=5.73; 95% CI: 1.58-20.77). Estimated "dose" of atrazine and chlorotriazine from tap water was inversely related to mean mid-luteal estradiol metabolite. Atrazine "dose" from municipal concentrations was directly related to follicular phase length and inversely related to mean mid-luteal progesterone metabolite levels. We present preliminary evidence that atrazine exposure, at levels below the US EPA MCL, is associated with increased menstrual cycle irregularity, longer follicular phases, and decreased levels of menstrual cycle endocrine biomarkers of infertile ovulatory cycles.

A baseline evaluation of traditional cook stove smoke exposures and indicators of cardiovascular and respiratory health among Nicaraguan women.

Biomass-derived indoor air pollution has been associated with increased risks of respiratory diseases; however, relatively few studies have examined the cardiovascular effects of biomass burning. We measured 48-hour indoor fine particulate matter and indoor and personal carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in 124 households using open-fire cook stoves in Nicaragua. We also examined the cross-sectional relationship of air pollution and health. High air pollutant concentrations with considerable variability were measured. Nonsignificant elevations in systolic blood pressure were associated with increases in CO concentrations. These associations were stronger among obese participants; an 8.51 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.06, 13.96) increase in systolic blood pressure per 24 ppm increase in 48-hour average indoor CO levels was observed. Although the cross-sectional design of this study limits the interpretation, we observed evidence of a relationship between indoor air pollution and blood pressure and heart rate, two indicators of cardiovascular health.

A Health Surveillance Study of Workers Employed at a Copper Smelter-Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Copper on Lung Function Using Spirometric Data.

OBJECTIVE: Significantly lower permissible occupational exposure limits for copper dust are being discussed in Europe and other jurisdictions. However, little data are published on exposures in occupational settings and copper-specific effects in humans. Hence, a health surveillance study was performed among workers employed at a copper smelter between 1972 and 2018. METHODS: Possible effects of long-term exposures to dust containing copper on lung function were assessed. Specifically, declines in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) were compared between a copper-exposed and control group. Cumulative copper exposures were derived from historical airborne monitoring data. RESULTS: FEV1 declines among exposed and control never smokers were similar to a typical age-dependent decline of 29 mL/y. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate that cumulative inhalable copper dust exposure averaging 4.61 mg/m3-years over an exposure duration of ∼22 years is not associated with adverse effects on lung function.

Epidemiological studies of formaldehyde exposure and risk of leukemia and nasopharyngeal cancer: a meta-analysis.

The authors conducted meta-analyses of the epidemiological literature on formaldehyde exposure and risk of leukemia and risk of nasopharyngeal cancer. The authors abstracted study results and confounder information from cohort and case-control studies, and used quantile plots and regression models to evaluate heterogeneity and possible publication bias. No evidence of serious heterogeneity or publication bias was seen. For leukemias, the summary relative risk (RR) was 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93, 1.20) for cohort studies, and the summary odds ratio (OR) was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.71, 1.37) for case-control studies. Based on cohort and case-control studies, no significant differences were seen by leukemia subtype, job type, publication period, or region. Summary estimates for nasopharyngeal cancers were not elevated after excluding a single plant with an unexplained cluster of nasopharyngeal cancers (cohort RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.40, 1.28). The summary estimate was increased for case-control studies overall, but the summary OR for smoking-adjusted studies was 1.10 (95% CI: 0.80, 1.50). Previous meta-analyses showed elevated summary estimates for leukemia; however, these analyses included results from proportionate mortality studies and did not explore other factors that could influence or confound results. By limiting analyses to stronger case-control and cohort study designs, considering the effects of smoking and ignoring anomalous results from a single plant, our meta-analyses provide little support for a causal relationship between formaldehyde exposure and leukemia or nasopharyngeal cancer.

Indoor air pollution, cookstove quality, and housing characteristics in two Honduran communities.

Elevated indoor air pollution exposures associated with the burning of biomass fuels in developing countries are well established. Improved cookstoves have the potential to substantially reduce these exposures. However, few studies have quantitatively evaluated exposure reductions associated with the introduction of improved stoves, likely due to the cost and time-intensive nature of such evaluations. Several studies have demonstrated the value of estimating indoor air pollution exposures by evaluating personal cooking practices and household parameters in addition to stove type. We assessed carbon monoxide (n=54) and fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) (n=58) levels among non-smoking Honduran women cooking with traditional or improved wood-burning cookstoves in two communities, one semi-urban and one rural. Exposure concentrations were assessed via 8-h indoor monitoring, as well as 8-h personal PM(2.5) monitoring. Housing characteristics were determined to indicate ventilation that may affect carbon monoxide and PM(2.5). Stove quality was assessed using a four-level subjective scale representing the potential for indoor emissions, ranging from poorly functioning traditional stoves to well-functioning improved stoves. Univariately, the stove scale as compared to stove type (traditional versus improved) accounted for a higher percent of the variation in pollutant concentrations; for example, the stove scale predicted 79% of the variation and the stove type predicted 54% of the variation in indoor carbon monoxide concentrations. In multivariable models, the stove scale, age of the stove, and ventilation factors predicted more than 50% of the variation in personal and indoor PM(2.5) and 85% of the variation in indoor carbon monoxide. Results indicate that using type of stove alone as a proxy for exposure may lead to exposure misclassification and potentially biased exposure and health effects relationships. Utilizing stove quality and housing characteristics that influence ventilation may provide a viable alternative to the more time- and cost-intensive pollutant assessments for larger-scale studies. Designing kitchens with proper ventilation structures could lead to improved indoor environments, especially important in areas where biomass will continue to be the preferred and necessary cooking fuel for some time.

Impact of improved cookstoves on indoor air pollution and adverse health effects among Honduran women.

Elevated indoor air pollution levels due to the burning of biomass in developing countries are well established. Few studies have quantitatively assessed air pollution levels of improved cookstoves and examined these measures in relation to health effects. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 79 Honduran women cooking with traditional or improved cookstoves. Carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) levels were assessed via indoor and personal monitoring. Pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms were ascertained. Finger-stick blood spot samples were collected to measure C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. The use of improved stoves was associated with 63% lower levels of personal PM(2.5), 73% lower levels of indoor PM(2.5), and 87% lower levels of indoor carbon monoxide as compared to traditional stoves. Women using traditional stoves reported symptoms more frequently than those using improved stoves. There was no evidence of associations between cookstove type or air quality measures with lung function or CRP.