Asthma link with vehicle exhausts

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

According to new data, those exposed to traffic fumes are in danger of asthma.
It is already known that vehicle exhausts can aggravate lung problems among people who have asthma. What is not known is whether traffic pollution is really a cause of asthma. Now researchers at Umea University in Sweden describe a study that seems to show a link.

They looked at 203 cases of newly diagnosed asthma and 203 controls from the same population, all aged 20-60 years. The comparison showed that high levels of motor vehicle exhausts outside the home seemed to increase the risk of developing asthma for those who had atopy. That is, people who are born susceptible to allergy and often have conditions like eczema and asthma. And, in general, those who reported high levels of traffic around the home were more likely to develop asthma. These findings suggest that more ought to be done to protect people's lungs by cutting traffic pollution.

Source
European Respiratory Journal July 2006

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