Ultrafine particles in urban air and respiratory health among adult asthmatics

Airborne particles are associated with adverse health effects and contribute to excess mortality in epidemiological studies. A recent hypothesis proposes that the high numbers of ultrafine (<0.1 μm diameter) particles in ambient air might provoke alveolar inflammation and subsequently cause exacerbations in pre-existing cardiopulmonary diseases.

To test the hypothesis adult asthmatics were followed with daily peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements and symptom and medication diaries for six months, while simultaneously monitoring particulate pollution in ambient air. The associations between daily health endpoints of 57 asthmatics and indicators of air pollution were examined by multivariate regression models.

Daily mean number concentration of particles, but not particle mass (PM₁₀(particle mass <10 μm), PM_2.5–10, PM_2.5, PM₁), was negatively associated with daily PEF deviations. The strongest effects were seen for particles in the ultrafine range. However, the effect of ultrafine particles could not definitely be separated from other traffic generated pollutants, namely nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. No associations were observed with respiratory symptoms or medication use.

Particle mass measurements can be strongly influenced by mechanically produced, soil-derived particles, which may not be associated with adverse health effects. Therefore, air quality monitoring should include particle number concentrations, which mainly reflect ultrafine particles.