Cited by 156Air Quality and Health ImpactsAsthma and respiratory diseasesIndoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure

Early life exposure to air pollution and incidence of childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema

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To, Teresa, Zhu, Jingqin, Stieb, Dave, Gray, Natasha, Fong, Ivy, Pinault, Lauren, Jerrett, Michael, Robichaud, Alain +6 more·2020·European Respiratory Journal

Abstract

Rationale: There is growing evidence that air pollution may contribute to the development of childhood asthma and other allergic diseases. In this follow-up of the Toronto Child Health Evaluation Questionnaire (T-CHEQ) study, we examined associations between early life exposures to air pollution and incidence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema from birth through adolescence. Methods: 1286 T-CHEQ participants were followed from birth until outcome (March 31, 2016) or loss to follow-up, with a mean of 17 years of follow-up. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), ozone (O 3) and particulate matter with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 µm (PM 2.5) from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2012 were assigned to participants based on their postal codes at birth using ground observations, chemical/meteorological models, remote sensing and land-use regression models. Study outcomes included incidence of physician-diagnosed asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios per interquartile range of exposures and outcomes, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Hazard ratios of 1.17 (95% CI 1.05–1.31) for asthma and 1.07 (95% CI 0.99–1.15) for eczema were observed for total oxidants (O 3 and NO 2) at birth. No significant increase in risk was found for PM 2.5. Conclusions: Exposures to oxidant air pollutants (O 3 and NO 2) but not PM 2.5 were associated with an increased risk of incident asthma and eczema in children. This suggests that improving air quality may contribute to the prevention of asthma and other allergic disease in childhood and adolescence.

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  • Studies in Europe and North America have demonstrated that chronic exposure to nitrogen dioxide and ozone contributes to inflammatory dermatoses.

    “Likewise, studies in Europe and North America have demonstrated that chronic exposure to nitrogen dioxide and ozone contributes to inflammatory dermatoses [6,7].”

    From The Environmental Determinants of Skin Health: Linking Climate Change, Air Pollution, and the Dermatologic Disease Burden (2025) · cites this paper as [6]

    The Discussion (page not available) reports an elevated risk of eczema associated with nitrogen dioxide exposure in a Canadian birth cohort. It links ozone instead to asthma and allergic rhinitis. The study reports associations, not proof that either pollutant causes inflammatory dermatoses generally, and it does not establish the claim about studies across Europe and North America. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
To, T., Zhu, J., Stieb, D., Gray, N., Fong, I., Pinault, L., Jerrett, M., Robichaud, A., Ménard, R., van Donkelaar, A., Martin, R. V., Hystad, P., Brook, J. R., & Dell, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • Hospital for Sick Children (CA)
  • Statistics Canada (CA)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada (CA)
  • Dalhousie University (CA)
  • Oregon State University (US)
Corresponding author
To, Teresa
Venue
European Respiratory Journal
Published
2019-12-05
Volume
55
Issue
2
Pages
1900913
ISSN
  • 0903-1936 (ISSN-L)
  • 1399-3003
OpenAlex
W2992180822
Cited by
156
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 14
FWCI
7.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • European Respiratory Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Health Canada (HT421-163216/001/SS)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
Keywords
air pollution, childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, early life exposure, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, PM2.5, allergic diseases, air quality, land use regression
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Air Pollutants, Air Pollution, Asthma, Child, Eczema, Environmental Exposure, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Nitrogen Dioxide, Incidence, Particulate Matter, Rhinitis, Allergic

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