Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]

Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Health effects of air pollution observed in cohort studies in Europe

Abstract

In recent years, several studies in Europe have associated within-city contrasts in air pollution with various health end points including mortality in cohort studies of adults, and respiratory morbidity in cross-sectional and cohort studies of children. Many of these studies have used NO2 contrasts as the primary exposure variable, which raises the issue of whether such associations are uniquely found for NO2 per se, or whether NO2 acts as a surrogate for a complex mixture of combustion pollutants primarily derived from vehicular traffic. Exposure assessment in these studies has been based on dispersion modelling, on data from routine monitoring networks, on stochastic models developed from dedicated spatially resolved monitoring, or some combination of these. The results of a number of recent European studies are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbey D.E ., Nishino N ., McDonnell W.F ., Burchette R.J ., Knutsen S.F ., Lawrence Beeson W ., and Yang J.X . Long-term inhalable particles and other air pollutants related to mortality in nonsmokers. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1999: 159 (2): 373–382.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bedada G.B., Heinrich J., Gotschi T., Downs S.H., Forsberg B., Jarvis D., Luczynska C., Soon A., Sunyer J., Toren K., and Kunzli N. Urban background particulate matter and allergic sensitization in adults of ECRHS II. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2006 [Epub ahead of print].

  • Brauer M., Gehring U., Brunekreef B., de Jongste J., Gerritsen J., Rovers M., Wichmann H.E., Wijga A., and Heinrich J. Traffic-related air pollution and otitis media. Environ Health Perspect 2006: 114 (9): 1414–1418.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brauer M., Hoek G., Smit H.A., de Jongste J.C., Gerritsen J., Postma D.S., Kerkhof M., and Brunekreef B. Air pollution and the development of asthma, allergy and infections in a birth cohort. Eur Respir J 2007: 29 (5): 878–888.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brauer M., Hoek G., van Vliet P., Meliefste K., Fischer P., Gehring U., Heinrich J., Cyrys J., Bellander T., Lewne M., and Brunekreef B. Estimating long-term average particulate air pollution concentrations: application of traffic indicators and geographic information systems. Epidemiology 2003: 14 (2): 228–239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brauer M., Hoek G., Van Vliet P., Meliefste K., Fischer P.H., Wijga A., Koopman L.P., Neijens H.J., Gerritsen J., Kerkhof M., Heinrich J., Bellander T., and Brunekreef B. Air pollution from traffic and the development of respiratory infections and asthmatic and allergic symptoms in children. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002: 166 (8): 1092–1098.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briggs D.J. The use of GIS to evaluate traffic-related pollution. Occup Environ Med 2007: 64 (1): 1–2.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen L.H., Knutsen S.F., Shavlik D., Beeson W.L., Petersen F., Ghamsary M., and Abbey D. The association between fatal coronary heart disease and ambient particulate air pollution: are females at greater risk? Environ Health Perspect 2005: 113 (12): 1723–1729.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dockery D.W., Pope III C.A., Xu X., Spengler J.D., Ware J.H., Fay M.E., Ferris Jr B.G., and Speizer F.E. An association between air pollution and mortality in six US cities. N Engl J Med 1993: 329 (24): 1753–1759.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards R., Pless-Mulloli T., Howel D., Chadwick T., Bhopal R., Harrison R., and Gribbin H. Does living near heavy industry cause lung cancer in women? A case–control study using life grid interviews. Thorax 2006: 61 (12): 1076–1082.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Enstrom J.E. Fine particulate air pollution and total mortality among elderly Californians, 1973–2002. Inhal Toxicol 2005: 17 (14): 803–816.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Filleul L., Rondeau V., Vandentorren S., Le Moual N., Cantagrel A., Annesi-Maesano I., Charpin D., Declercq C., Neukirch F., Paris C., Vervloet D., Brochard P., Tessier J.F., Kauffmann F., and Baldi I. Twenty five year mortality and air pollution: results from the French PAARC survey. Occup Environ Med 2005: 62 (7): 453–460.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gauderman J., Vora H., McConnell R., Berhane K., Gilliland F., Thomas D., Lurmann F., Avol E., Kunzli N., Jerrett M., and Peters J. The effect of exposure to traffic on lung development from 10 to 18 years of age. Lancet 2007: 369 (9561): 571–577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gauderman W.J., Avol E., Gilliland F., Vora H., Thomas D., Berhane K., McConnell R., Kuenzli N., Lurmann F., Rappaport E., Margolis H., Bates D., and Peters J. The effect of air pollution on lung development from 10 to 18 years of age. N Engl J Med 2004: 351 (11): 1057–1067.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gauderman W.J., Avol E., Lurmann F., Kuenzli N., Gilliland F., Peters J., and McConnell R. Childhood asthma and exposure to traffic and nitrogen dioxide. Epidemiology 2005: 16 (6): 737–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gehring U., Cyrys J., Sedlmeir G., Brunekreef B., Bellander T., Fischer P., Bauer C.P., Reinhardt D., Wichmann H.E., and Heinrich J. Traffic-related air pollution and respiratory health during the first 2 yrs of life. Eur Respir J 2002: 19 (4): 690–698.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gehring U., Heinrich J., Kramer U., Grote V., Hochadel M., Sugiri D., Kraft M., Rauchfuss K., Eberwein H.G., and Wichmann H.E. Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and cardiopulmonary mortality in women. Epidemiology 2006: 17 (5): 545–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gram F., Nafstad P., and Haheim L.L. Estimating residential air pollution exposure among citizens in Oslo 1974–1998 using a geographical information system. J Environ Monit 2003: 5 (4): 541–546.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoek G., Brunekreef B., Goldbohm S., Fischer P., and van den Brandt P.A. Association between mortality and indicators of traffic-related air pollution in the Netherlands: a cohort study. Lancet 2002: 360 (9341): 1203–1209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoek G., Fischer P., Van Den Brandt P., Goldbohm S., and Brunekreef B. Estimation of long-term average exposure to outdoor air pollution for a cohort study on mortality. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 2001: 11 (6): 459–469.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jerrett M., Arain A., Kanaroglou P., Beckerman B., Potoglou D., Sahsuvaroglu T., Morrison J., and Giovis C. A review and evaluation of intraurban air pollution exposure models. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 2005a: 15 (2): 185–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jerrett M., Burnett R.T., Ma R., Pope III C.A., Krewski D., Newbold K.B., Thurston G., Shi Y., Finkelstein N., Calle E.E., and Thun M.J. Spatial analysis of air pollution and mortality in Los Angeles. Epidemiology 2005b: 16 (6): 727–736.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laden F., Schwartz J., Speizer F.E., and Dockery D.W. Reduction in fine particulate air pollution and mortality: extended follow-up of the Harvard Six Cities study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2006: 173 (6): 667–672.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewne M., Cyrys J., Meliefste K., Hoek G., Brauer M., Fischer P., Gehring U., Heinrich J., Brunekreef B., and Bellander T. Spatial variation in nitrogen dioxide in three European areas. Sci Total Environ 2004: 332 (1–3): 217–230.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lipfert F.W., Perry H.M., Miller J.P., Baty J.D., Wyzga R.E., and Carmody S.E. The Washington University-EPRI veterans’ cohort mortality study: preliminary results. Inhal Toxicol 2000: 12 (Suppl 4): 41–73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McConnell R., Berhane K., Gilliland F., Molitor J., Thomas D., Lurmann F., Avol E., Gauderman W.J., and Peters J.M. Prospective study of air pollution and bronchitic symptoms in children with asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2003: 168 (7): 790–797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McConnell R., Berhane K., Yao L., Jerrett M., Lurmann F., Gilliland F., Kunzli N., Gauderman J., Avol E., Thomas D., and Peters J. Traffic, susceptibility, and childhood asthma. Environ Health Perspect 2006: 114 (5): 766–772.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McDonnell W.F., Nishino-Ishikawa N., Petersen F.F., Chen L.H., and Abbey D.E. Relationships of mortality with the fine and coarse fractions of long-term ambient PM10 concentrations in nonsmokers. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 2000: 10 (5): 427–436.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller K.A., Siscovick D.S., Sheppard L., Shepherd K., Sullivan J.H., Anderson G.L., and Kaufman J.D. Long-term exposure to air pollution and incidence of cardiovascular events in women. N Engl J Med 2007: 356 (5): 447–458.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morgenstern V., Zutavern A., Cyrys J., Brockow I., Gehring U., Koletzko S., Bauer C.P., Reinhardt D., Wichmann H.E., and Heinrich J. Respiratory health and individual estimated exposure to traffic-related air pollutants in a cohort of young children. Occup Environ Med 2007: 64 (1): 8–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naess O., Nafstad P., Aamodt G., Claussen B., and Rosland P. Relation between concentration of air pollution and cause-specific mortality: four-year exposures to nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter pollutants in 470 neighborhoods in Oslo, Norway. Am J Epidemiol 2007: 165 (4): 435–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nafstad P., Haheim L.L., Oftedal B., Gram F., Holme I., Hjermann I., and Leren P. Lung cancer and air pollution: a 27 year follow up of 16 209 Norwegian men. Thorax 2003: 58 (12): 1071–1076.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nafstad P., Haheim L.L., Wisloff T., Gram F., Oftedal B., Holme I., Hjermann I., and Leren P. Urban air pollution and mortality in a cohort of Norwegian men. Environ Health Perspect 2004: 112 (5): 610–615.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nyberg F., Gustavsson P., Jarup L., Bellander T., Berglind N., Jakobsson R., and Pershagen G. Urban air pollution and lung cancer in Stockholm. Epidemiology 2000: 11 (5): 487–495.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pope III C.A., Burnett R.T., Thun M.J., Calle E.E., Krewski D., Ito K., and Thurston G.D. Lung cancer, cardiopulmonary mortality, and long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution. JAMA 2002: 287 (9): 1132–1141.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pope III C.A., Thun M.J., Namboodiri M.M., Dockery D.W., Evans J.S., Speizer F.E., and Heath Jr C.W. Particulate air pollution as a predictor of mortality in a prospective study of US adults. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1995: 151 (3 Part 1): 669–674.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rijnders E., Janssen N.A., van Vliet P.H., and Brunekreef B. Personal and outdoor nitrogen dioxide concentrations in relation to degree of urbanization and traffic density. Environ Health Perspect 2001: 109 (Suppl 3): 411–417.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sunyer J., Jarvis D., Gotschi T., Garcia-Esteban R., Jacquemin B., Aguilera I., Ackerman U., de Marco R., Forsberg B., Gislason T., Heinrich J., Norback D., Villani S., and Kunzli N. Chronic bronchitis and urban air pollution in an international study. Occup Environ Med 2006: 63 (12): 836–843.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van den Brandt P.A., Goldbohm R.A., van ‘t Veer P., Volovics A., Hermus R.J., and Sturmans F. A large-scale prospective cohort study on diet and cancer in The Netherlands. J Clin Epidemiol 1990: 43 (3): 285–295.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Roosbroeck S., Wichmann J., Janssen N.A.H., Hoek G., van Wijnen J.H., Lebret E., and Brunekreef B. Long-term personal exposure to traffic-related air pollution among school children, a validation study. Sci Total Environ 2006: 368 (2–3): 565–573.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vineis P., Hoek G., Krzyzanowski M., Vigna-Taglianti F., Veglia F., Airoldi L., and Autrup H. Air pollution and risk of lung cancer in a prospective study in Europe. Int J Cancer 2006: 119 (1): 169–174.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wichmann J., Janssen N.A.H., van der Zee S., and Brunekreef B. Traffic-related differences in indoor and personal absorption coefficient measurements in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Atmos Environ 2005: 39 (38): 7384–7392.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper was financially supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bert Brunekreef.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brunekreef, B. Health effects of air pollution observed in cohort studies in Europe. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 17 (Suppl 2), S61–S65 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jes.7500628

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jes.7500628

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links