Air pollutants and primary allergy prevention

Abstract

Background

Air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in outdoor air have long been suspected of causing the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis. However, a variety of systematic reviews have reached different conclusions in the last 15 years on whether these air pollutants do in actual fact play a causal role in the onset of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema.

Methods

Based on published systematic reviews and the most recent publications, the current state of knowledge on epidemiological evidence is presented and the potential for primary prevention of these allergic diseases by reducing or avoiding exposure to these air pollutants evaluated.

Results

Despite conducting an extensive literature search, analyzing the most recent results, and focusing on the birth cohort studies most relevant to the question in hand, epidemiological results do not adequately support the concept of a causal relationship between the two air pollutants in question, PM_2.5 and NO₂, and asthma. Epidemiological studies predominantly show no effect of these air pollutants on allergic sensitization and the onset of allergic rhinitis. The small number of studies that have investigated the link between air pollutants and eczema largely revealed there to be no link.

Conclusion

If the evidence for the causal role of air pollutants in the onset of allergies is inconclusive, one must assume that it is probably not possible to achieve primary prevention of allergies by improving air quality. However, there is sufficient evidence to show that air pollutants can trigger exacerbations of allergic diseases. This alone justifies ensuring that the existing threshold values for air pollutants are adhered to, in order to protect particularly allergy sufferers from health impairments.