Early life exposure to particulate matter and childhood asthma in Beijing, China: a case–control study

ABSTRACT

A case–control study was conducted to examine the association of particulate matter exposure during the pre-natal (the first, second, and third trimesters. and the whole pregnancy) and post-natal periods (the first year after birth) with childhood asthma in Beijing, China. Multivariable logistic regressions showed that childhood asthma was significantly associated with exposures to PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ during the entire pregnancy, with ORs of 1.28(95%CI:1.06–1.56) and 1.21(95%CI:1.02–1.42), respectively. The highest association with a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were both seen for the second trimester, with ORs of 1.17(95% CI: 1.05–1.30) and 1.14(95% CI: 1.04–1.24). Subgroup analyses suggested that significant and positive effects were subject to be observed in children with a family history of atopy. This study added evidence that exposures to PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ during pregnancy might increase the risk of childhood asthma in seriously polluted area, highlighting stronger associations in the second trimester.

KEYWORDS:

• Particulate matter
• children
• asthma
• early lifeintroduction

Acknowledgements

We thank all the clinicians responsible for diagnosis of asthma.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (#81602830)