Positive Health Online

Abstract

ROMIEU and colleagues, Instituto Nacional do Salud Publica, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, iromieu@correo.insp.mx, investigated antioxidant supplementation and lung function among children with asthma who are exposed to high levels of air pollutants .

Background

The study aim was to determine whether acute effects of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and particulates could be attenuated by antioxidant supplementation .

Methodology

Results

In children with moderate to severe asthma in the placebo group, ozone levels on the previous day were significantly inversely associated with forced expiratory flow and peak expiratory flow . No such association between ozone levels and lung function was found in asthmatic children in the supplements group .

Conclusion

The results suggest that dietary supplementation with antioxidant vitamins may moderate the impact of air pollution on the airways of children with moderate to severe asthma.

References

Romieu I, Sienra MJJ, Ramirez AM, Tellez-Rojo MM, Moreno MH, Reyes-Ruiz NI, del Rio-Navarro BE, Ruiz-Nevarro MX, Hatch G, Slade R, Hernandez AM. Antioxidant supplementation and lung functions among children with asthma exposed to high levels of air pollutants. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 166 (5): 703-709, Sep 2002.

Comment

Doctors ought to pay attention to these positive results achieved with fairly moderate supplement levels in these Mexican children, in view of the very serious asthma epidemic occurring in most western countries (in the UK 1 in 8 children suffers from asthma),