Correlation between indoor air pollution and adult respiratory health in Zunyi City in Southwest China: situation in two different seasons.

BACKGROUND: Indoor environmental quality significantly influences the occurrence of asthma attack. Zunyi District has abundant coal reserves and is regarded as one of the cities that are most severely polluted by high levels of particulate matter in China. This study aimed to examine the correlation of indoor exposure with adult respiratory health, as well as the differences in effect between winter and summer. METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted among 1207 adult residents in Zunyi, Guizhou Province of Southwest China in winter and summer. Data on health variables related to asthma and home environmental factors were collected using a modified European Community Respiratory Health Survey II questionnaire. The following data were obtained: samples of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) inside and outside the households under study (n = 20); lung function status, including peak expiratory flow rate, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC ratio. RESULT: The odds ratio (OR) for asthma-like symptoms and asthma in adults using coal stove for cooking or warming, relative to non-users, was 1.73 (95% CI, 1.11-2.69) in winter vs. 1.30 (95% CI, 0.79-2.14) in summer. Adult residents with exposure to cooking oil fumes were at a considerably higher risk of asthma-like symptoms and asthma [OR = 2.65 (95% CI, 1.25 to 5.61) in winter vs. OR = 7.93 (95% CI, 2.54 to 24.75] in summer] than those without such exposure. The prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and asthma was significantly higher in adults with high kitchen risk scores or high sleeping-area risk scores than in those with low scores in both seasons (p < 0.05). The relative kitchen and sleeping area PM2.5 concentrations were higher in winter than in summer (p < 0.05). Lung function was negatively associated with indoor kitchen and sleeping area relative PM2.5 concentration in winter rather than summer (p < 0.001). The effect of exposure to indoor risk factors on lung function among the residents was greater in winter than in summer (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Exposure to indoor risk factors, such as aerocontaminants from coal combustion, causes asthma symptoms and reduces pulmonary function. The effect of indoor risk factors on respiratory health among adults with such exposure was greater in winter than in summer.

Prevalence of Adverse Respiratory Symptoms Among E-Cigarette Users in Saudi Arabia - A Cross-Sectional Study.

Electronic cigarettes, frequently referred to as e-cigarettes, have emerged as a controversial and rapidly growing phenomenon in the realm of tobacco and nicotine consumption worldwide. This study reports the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among e-cigarette users. This study also helps to understand the potential harmful effects and importance of quitting e-cigarette smoking. An observational cross-sectional study was carried out in Saudi Arabia. The study period was from September 2022 to August 2023. The sample size was 447 participants. Among recent e-cigarette users in this Saudi study, usage varied, with 44.1% using 1-5 days, 33.6% using 6-30 days, and 22.4% using e-cigarettes previously but not in the previous month. Vape devices were predominant (42.7%). There were significant associations emerged between e-cigarette use frequency and symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, and shortness of breath. E-cigarette use was notably linked to asthma-related symptoms, underscoring its concerning impact on respiratory health (P < 0.05). E-cigarette consumption has a significant impact on respiratory effects and specifically asthma-related symptoms among this Saudi population.