Effects of biomass combustion smoke on hematological and antioxidant profile among children (8–13 years) in India

Abstract

The use of solid biomass fuel in traditional stoves has been associated with respiratory symptoms of chronic airway inflammation and higher rates of respiratory infections. The mechanisms of such associations remain unclear. In this study we examine the association between exposures to indoor pollution and the hematological and antioxidant profile in children. We found increases in the respiratory symptoms “cough without cold” [odds ratio (OR) 4.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.00–4.95], “cough in the morning” (OR 3.80; CI 2.40–5.15), and “wheeze” (OR 3.60; CI 2.75–5.0) in children living in homes used solid biomass for cooking after adjustment for potential confounder variables. Children who lived in the households that cook with traditional biomass fuels had low hemoglobin and red blood cell (RBC) values, but raised white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, and eosinophil counts. Furthermore, we examined the ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio levels in the blood of the subjects and observed low levels of ascorbic acid (AA), SOD, and GSH/GSSG ratio in children lived in biomass used households. These findings suggest that the biomass smoke has the potential to produce oxidative stress and adverse health effects in children. There is much more work needed to confirm our conclusions. Investigating the mechanisms underlying air pollution-induced health problems would allow a more targeted approach to remove the most toxic components of air pollution, and could possibly provide a means to decrease individual sensitivity to air pollution.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.