TY - JOUR
T1 - Respiratory and atopic conditions in children two to four years after the 2014 Hazelwood coalmine fire
AU - Willis, Gabriela A.
AU - Chappell, Kate
AU - Williams, Stephanie
AU - Melody, Shannon M.
AU - Wheeler, Amanda
AU - Dalton, Marita
AU - Dharmage, Shyamali C.
AU - Zosky, Graeme R.
AU - Johnston, Fay H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 AMPCo Pty Ltd
PY - 2020/9/1
Y1 - 2020/9/1
N2 - Objective: To evaluate associations between exposure during early life to mine fire smoke and parent-reported indicators of respiratory and atopic illness 2–4 years later. Design, setting: The Hazelwood coalmine fire exposed a regional Australian community to markedly increased air pollution during February – March 2014. During June 2016 – October 2018 we conducted a prospective cohort study of children from the Latrobe Valley. Participants: Seventy-nine children exposed to smoke in utero, 81 exposed during early childhood (0–2 years of age), and 129 children conceived after the fire (ie, unexposed). Exposure: Individualised mean daily and peak 24-hour fire-attributable fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure during the fire period, based on modelled air quality and time-activity data. Main outcome measures: Parent-reported symptoms, medications use, and contacts with medical professionals, collected in monthly online diaries for 29 months, 2–4 years after the fire. Results: In the in utero exposure analysis (2678 monthly diaries for 160 children exposed in utero or unexposed), each 10 μg/m3 increase in mean daily PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased reports of runny nose/cough (relative risk [RR], 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02–1.17), wheeze (RR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.18–2.07), seeking health professional advice (RR, 1.17; 95% CI 1.06–1.29), and doctor diagnoses of upper respiratory tract infections, cold or flu (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.14–1.60). Associations with peak 24-hour PM2.5 exposure were similar. In the early childhood exposure analysis (3290 diaries for 210 children exposed during early childhood, or unexposed), each 100 μg/m3 increase in peak 24-hour PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased use of asthma inhalers (RR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01–1.58). Conclusions: Exposure to mine fire smoke in utero was associated with increased reports by parents of respiratory infections and wheeze in their children 2–4 years later.
AB - Objective: To evaluate associations between exposure during early life to mine fire smoke and parent-reported indicators of respiratory and atopic illness 2–4 years later. Design, setting: The Hazelwood coalmine fire exposed a regional Australian community to markedly increased air pollution during February – March 2014. During June 2016 – October 2018 we conducted a prospective cohort study of children from the Latrobe Valley. Participants: Seventy-nine children exposed to smoke in utero, 81 exposed during early childhood (0–2 years of age), and 129 children conceived after the fire (ie, unexposed). Exposure: Individualised mean daily and peak 24-hour fire-attributable fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure during the fire period, based on modelled air quality and time-activity data. Main outcome measures: Parent-reported symptoms, medications use, and contacts with medical professionals, collected in monthly online diaries for 29 months, 2–4 years after the fire. Results: In the in utero exposure analysis (2678 monthly diaries for 160 children exposed in utero or unexposed), each 10 μg/m3 increase in mean daily PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased reports of runny nose/cough (relative risk [RR], 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02–1.17), wheeze (RR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.18–2.07), seeking health professional advice (RR, 1.17; 95% CI 1.06–1.29), and doctor diagnoses of upper respiratory tract infections, cold or flu (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.14–1.60). Associations with peak 24-hour PM2.5 exposure were similar. In the early childhood exposure analysis (3290 diaries for 210 children exposed during early childhood, or unexposed), each 100 μg/m3 increase in peak 24-hour PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased use of asthma inhalers (RR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01–1.58). Conclusions: Exposure to mine fire smoke in utero was associated with increased reports by parents of respiratory infections and wheeze in their children 2–4 years later.
KW - Air pollutants
KW - Atopy
KW - Child health
KW - Emergencies
KW - Population health
KW - Respiratory tract infections
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089085605&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5694/mja2.50719
DO - 10.5694/mja2.50719
M3 - Article
SN - 0025-729X
VL - 213
SP - 269
EP - 275
JO - Medical Journal of Australia
JF - Medical Journal of Australia
IS - 6
ER -