Air Pollution's Impact On Allergies: Understanding The Connection

Air pollution is a key factor in the development and increase of ARD exacerbations. The epigenetic, cellular and molecular mechanisms that directly or indirectly intervene in allergic diseases, and how they contribute to the negative impact of patients’ quality of life have not yet been extensively described. Patients are advised to minimize prolonged exposure to pollutants by methods such as reducing extramural activities on days with high levels of air pollution and promoting reforestation of non-allergenic trees in urban areas.

Air pollution and the development of allergies

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health and has been on an exponential rise, giving rise to several air pollution diseases as well. Air pollution is one the major factors associated with the development of chronic allergic respiratory diseases in people and has also been shown to impair lung development in children and adolescents. Hence, already harmful bad air quality can be furthermore detrimental to the health of an allergic person.

The origins of particulate matter produced from various sources, including those issued by traffic and the burning of fuels such as coal, gasoline and diesel. Diesel emissions represent the majority of the particulate matter in urban air pollution. It has been found that the co-exposure of diesel emissions and airborne allergens increases allergen-specific IgE levels, severity of asthma, inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness. In vivo and in vitro studies have reported the activation of anti-transcription and pro-inflammatory mediators. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metal components or metabolites may increase due to the formation of oxygen reactive species that interact with DNA, producing different types of damage as oxidative damage.

The mechanisms which cause double chain DNA break in pulmonary cells have been found to be secondary to the impact of air pollution in the mRNA expression in humans due to the activity of the telomerase and phosphorylation of H2AX histone. DNA damage induced by particulate matter made of metals (copper, iron, nickel, vanadium, zinc and lead) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is metabolized and then covalently bonded in the DNA.

Variations in environmental influences on individual genotypes can lead to heterogeneous endotypes of asthma. Several phenotypes of severe clinical expression may overlap in one patient, and the same clinical phenotype may result in different endotypes, which would be reflected in the severity of the disease and its response to conventional treatments.

Intramural contaminants

Today, a large number of people from industrialized cities spend most of their time at either their home or their job. It has been reported that more than half of the air inhaled during one's life comes from an intramural environment. The sources of intramural contaminants come mainly from cigarette smoke, combustion products such as candles or incense, and volatile organic compounds emitted by building materials, paints, furniture with sponge cushions and products containing polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In a study of newborns in Germany, the concentrations of intramural contaminants (PM1, PM 2.5 and PM10) were higher than the PM10 extramural values recommended by the European Union.

Choi et al. found that the average concentration of individual compounds of volatile organic compounds was consistently higher in the households of children diagnosed with asthma, rhinitis, and eczema compared to the homes of children in a control group. These results suggest that intramural air exacerbates and/or induces the multiple symptoms of allergy, asthma, rhinitis and eczema.

Air pollution and the exacerbation of allergies

Air pollution is one of the main factors associated with the development of allergic respiratory disease, it has been shown to impair lung development in children and adolescents. The origins of particulate matter produced from various sources, including those issued by traffic and the burning of fuels such as coal, gasoline and diesel. Diesel emissions represent the majority of the particulate matter in urban air pollution. It has been found that the co-exposure of diesel emissions and airborne allergens increases allergen-specific IgE levels, severity of asthma, inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness. In vivo and in vitro studies have reported the activation of anti-transcription and pro-inflammatory mediators. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metal components or metabolites may increase due to the formation of oxygen reactive species that interact with DNA, producing different types of damage as oxidative damage.

Air pollution and aerospheric allergies

Air pollution has been proven to alter the pulmonary development of children and teenagers. Air pollution is defined as the alteration of the pureness and quality of air caused by the emission of chemical or biological substances released naturally or produced by man and his everyday activities. Among these are particulate matter (PM) with a diameter of less than 10μm (PM 10), inhalable fine particulates if their diameter is less than 2.5μm (PM2.5) and ultrafine particulates (UFPs) which are smaller than 0.1μm. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PM2.5 is 25μm/m3, and the daily allowed exposure limit for PM10 is 50μm/m3. As reported, every increase of 10mg/m3 of PM10 was linked to an 0.46% increase in the mortality rate in the US. In Mexico, the Official Mexican Standard (NOM by its Spanish acronym) NOM-025-SSA1-2014 establishes the permissible limit values for concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 suspended particles in the environment, which are, for particles under 10 micrometers (PM10) and 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5), an average limit of 24h of 75μm/m3 and 45μm/m3 respectively.

PMs are produced from several sources, including those emitted by traffic, carbon combustion, gas, diesel and other types of fuels. Secondary emissions from diesel represent the majority of particulate matter from urban air pollution. The size of the particle, its surface and its chemical composition determines the risk that it represents in a patient who is exposed to it regularly. According to their size, the MPs can easily access the airway, even reaching the alveoli and thereby causing direct damage as a result of irritation, or provoking oxidative stress by activating various signal transmission pathways and transcription factors.

Air pollution and ARD

Air pollution is a key factor in the development and increase of ARD exacerbations. The epigenetic, cellular and molecular mechanisms that directly or indirectly intervene in allergic diseases, and how they contribute to the negative impact of patients’ quality of life have not yet been extensively described. Patients are advised to minimize prolonged exposure to pollutants by methods such as reducing extramural activities on days with high levels of air pollution and promoting reforestation of non-allergenic trees in urban areas.

Air pollution and the effects on the respiratory system

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health and has been on an exponential rise, giving rise to several air pollution diseases as well. Air pollution is one of the main factors associated with the development of allergic respiratory disease, it has been shown to impair lung development in children and adolescents. The origins of particulate matter produced from various sources, including those issued by traffic and the burning of fuels such as coal, gasoline and diesel. Diesel emissions represent the majority of the particulate matter in urban air pollution. It has been found that the co-exposure of diesel emissions and airborne allergens increases allergen-specific IgE levels, severity of asthma, inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness. In vivo and in vitro studies have reported the activation of anti-transcription and pro-inflammatory mediators. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metal components or metabolites may increase due to the formation of oxygen reactive species that interact with DNA, producing different types of damage as oxidative damage.

The way in which air pollutants impact the development of asthma and allergies has been the subject of investigation and controversy. Two studies in California found that contaminants related to vehicular traffic can cause asthma in older children. Another study reported that children exercising in areas with high concentrations of ozone were more likely to develop asthma, and a Japanese study looked for an association between asthma and nitrogen oxide (NO2) levels, with a sample universe of 2506 children studied over a period of 4 years, and concluded that children living at a distance of less than 50m from roads with heavy vehicle loads were more prone to asthma development.

Air pollution and ARD

Air pollution is a key factor in the development and increase of ARD exacerbations. The epigenetic, cellular and molecular mechanisms that directly or indirectly intervene in allergic diseases, and how they contribute to the negative impact of patients’ quality of life have not yet been extensively described. Patients are advised to minimize prolonged exposure to pollutants by methods such as reducing extramural activities on days with high levels of air pollution and promoting reforestation of non-allergenic trees in urban areas.

Air pollution and the effects on the immune system

Air pollution is a key factor in the development and increase of ARD exacerbations. The epigenetic, cellular and molecular mechanisms that directly or indirectly intervene in allergic diseases, and how they contribute to the negative impact of patients’ quality of life have not yet been extensively described. Patients are advised to minimize prolonged exposure to pollutants by methods such as reducing extramural activities on days with high levels of air pollution and promoting reforestation of non-allergenic trees in urban areas.

Air pollution is defined as the alteration of the pureness and quality of air caused by the emission of chemical or biological substances released naturally or produced by man and his everyday activities. The sources of intramural contaminants come mainly from cigarette smoke, combustion products such as candles or incense, and volatile organic compounds emitted by building materials, paints, furniture with sponge cushions and products containing polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

The development of an allergic disease takes place due to the interaction of genetic predisposition and environmental determinants. Air pollution is one of the main environmental factors linked to the onset of ARD, as well as its exacerbations.

Air pollution has been proven to alter the pulmonary development of children and teenagers.

Air pollution works in more direct ways to make your allergies more severe. Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance that your body has identified as harmful, even though it isn’t.

Air pollution also works in more direct ways to make your allergies more severe. Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance that your body has identified as harmful, even though it isn’t.

Air pollution is one of the main factors associated with the development of chronic allergic respiratory diseases in people and has also been shown to impair lung development in children and adolescents. Hence, already harmful bad air quality can be furthermore detrimental to the health of an allergic person.

The way in which air pollutants impact the development of asthma and allergies has been the subject of investigation and controversy. Two studies in California found that contaminants related to vehicular traffic can cause asthma in older children. Another study reported that children exercising in areas with high concentrations of ozone were more likely to develop asthma, and Ackermann-Liebrich et al. found that a lifetime history of doctor-diagnosed asthma was associated with outdoor residential NO2 levels.

Intramural contaminants

Today, a large number of people from industrialized cities spend most of their time at either their home or their job. It has been reported that more than half of the air inhaled during one's life comes from an intramural environment.

The sources of intramural contaminants come mainly from cigarette smoke, combustion products such as candles or incense, and volatile organic compounds emitted by building materials, paints, furniture with sponge cushions and products containing polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In a study of newborns in Germany, the concentrations of intramural contaminants (PM1, PM 2.5 and PM10) were higher than the PM10 extramural values recommended by the European Union.

Choi et al. found that the average concentration of individual compounds of volatile organic compounds was consistently higher in the households of children diagnosed with asthma, rhinitis, and eczema compared to the homes of children in a control group. These results suggest that intramural air exacerbates and/or induces the multiple symptoms of allergy, asthma, rhinitis and eczema.

Air pollution and the effects on the skin

Air pollution is a major factor in the development and increase of ARD exacerbations. The epigenetic, cellular and molecular mechanisms that directly or indirectly intervene in allergic diseases, and how they contribute to the negative impact of patients’ quality of life have not yet been extensively described. Patients are advised to minimize prolonged exposure to pollutants by methods such as reducing extramural activities on days with high levels of air pollution and promoting reforestation of non-allergenic trees in urban areas.

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