Lung health and exposure to air pollution in Malawian children (CAPS): a cross-sectional study.

Rylance, Sarah, Nightingale, Rebecca, Naunje, Andrew, Mbalume, Frank, Jewell, Chris, Balmes, John R, Grigg, Jonathan and Mortimer, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8118-8871 (2019) 'Lung health and exposure to air pollution in Malawian children (CAPS): a cross-sectional study.'. Thorax, Vol 74, Issue 11, pp. 1070-1077.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND
Non-communicable lung disease and exposure to air pollution are major problems in sub-Saharan Africa. A high burden of chronic respiratory symptoms, spirometric abnormalities and air pollution exposures has been found in Malawian adults; whether the same would be true in children is unknown.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study of children aged 6-8 years, in rural Malawi, included households from communities participating in the Cooking and Pneumonia Study (CAPS), a trial of cleaner-burning biomass-fuelled cookstoves. We assessed; chronic respiratory symptoms, anthropometry, spirometric abnormalities (using Global Lung Initiative equations) and personal carbon monoxide (CO) exposure. Prevalence estimates were calculated, and multivariable analyses were done.
RESULTS
We recruited 804 children (mean age 7.1 years, 51.9% female), including 476 (260 intervention; 216 control) from CAPS households. Chronic respiratory symptoms (mainly cough (8.0%) and wheeze (7.1%)) were reported by 16.6% of children. Average height-for-age and weight-for-age z-scores were -1.04 and -1.10, respectively. Spirometric abnormalities (7.1% low forced vital capacity (FVC); 6.3% obstruction) were seen in 13.0% of children. Maximum CO exposure and carboxyhaemoglobin levels (COHb) exceeded WHO guidelines in 50.1% and 68.5% of children, respectively. Children from CAPS intervention households had lower COHb (median 3.50% vs 4.85%, p=0.006) and higher FVC z-scores (-0.22 vs -0.44, p=0.05) than controls.
CONCLUSION
The substantial burden of chronic respiratory symptoms, abnormal spirometry and air pollution exposures in children in rural Malawi is concerning; effective prevention and control strategies are needed. Our finding of potential benefit in CAPS intervention households calls for further research into clean-air interventions to maximise healthy lung development in children.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 320 Child Welfare. Child Health Services. WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries WA Public Health > Air pollution > WA 750 Air sanitation and hygiene WA Public Health > Air pollution > WA 754 Pollution and pollutants (incl. tobacco pollution; passive smoking) WF Respiratory System > Lungs > WF 600 Lungs
Faculty: Department:	Clinical Sciences & International Health > Clinical Sciences Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212945
Depositing User:	Stacy Murtagh
Date Deposited:	02 Sep 2019 11:11
Last Modified:	20 Nov 2019 14:46
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/11973

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