The Relationship between Children’s Asthma and Air Quality

Dear Colleagues,

Asthma is a highly prevalent chronic and often very severe disease. One hallmark of asthma is the hyper-reactivity of the airways. Therefore, various factors, including air pollutants, can trigger asthma attacks. Air pollution episodes have been shown to exacerbate asthma and reduce pulmonary function as well as responses to therapy. However, it is still not completely clear if air pollution also increases the risk of developing asthma. Furthermore, because asthma is a phenotype comprising different etiological entities, the question of causality should be asked for each separate entity. Additionally, the timing of exposure and the windows of susceptibility are important issues.

For studying this association and the issue of causality, children are an interesting group. The effects of air pollution on children’s asthma are likely less confounded by a long and therefore likely less well-documented disease history or by active smoking and occupational exposures. The developing lungs of children most likely provide a relevant window of susceptibility.

Air pollution is a complex mixture of chemicals that differ by location and source. Therefore, we are also interested in studies from countries where childhood asthma, so far, has been understudied, as well as in studies on indoor air quality, including mold and passive smoking.

Dr. Hanns Moshammer
Guest Editor

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• childhood asthma
• exacerbation
• causation
• particulate air pollution
• nitrogen dioxide
• indoor air pollution
• passive smoking