Archives of environmental health
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Arch. Environ. Health · Nov 2002
Comparative StudyEffects of air pollution on the prevalence and incidence of asthma in children.
The effects of air pollution on asthmatic symptoms were assessed in a prospective cohort study of 3,049 schoolchildren in 8 different communities in Japan. Respiratory symptoms in these children were evaluated by questionnaires every year from the 1st through the 6th grades. ⋯ Particulate matter less than 10 microm in diameter (PM10) was also associated with a higher incidence of asthma, although the association was not significant. These findings suggest that air pollution, including nitrogen dioxide, may be an important factor in the development of asthma among children in urban districts.