351
Views
14
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Review Article

Systematic review of the effects of domestic paints on asthma related symptoms in people with or without asthma

, PhD, , MBBS, MRCP, MD, FFPHM, , PhD & , MD
Pages 1020-1030 | Received 09 May 2013, Accepted 11 Aug 2013, Published online: 18 Sep 2013
 

Abstract

Introduction: The association of respiratory problems with chemical emissions from common indoor materials has been studied but the specific effect of domestic paint has not been widely investigated. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of experimental, occupational and epidemiological studies that examine the adverse respiratory effects of exposure to domestic paints. Methods: A literature search of PubMed together with consultation with an expert resulted in 997 articles published up to May 2011 of which 3 experimental, 4 occupational and 13 epidemiological studies met selection criteria and were included in the review. Results: The occupational literature suggested that work as a (non-spray) painter increases the risk of asthma, but it provides little insight to the risks of painting in the domestic setting. All epidemiological studies, except one, reported associations with some asthma-like symptoms. In children at least there was evidence that painting was associated with wheezing, but the study designs and the exposure assessment were unsuitable to differentiate between acute and longer terms affects. We found the epidemiological evidence to be weak and certainly insufficient to infer causality. Conclusion: The variable quality of the exposure assignment and heterogeneous study design makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions on whether domestic paint exposures cause or exacerbate asthma in children and/or adults.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.