A recent study has shed light on the impact of indoor and outdoor air pollutants on individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For many with COPD daily life involves constant breathing difficulties, wheezing, and coughing up phlegm. These symptoms often worsen during exacerbations, which are severe flare-ups. COPD is the second largest leading cause of emergency hospital admissions in the UK, contributing to approximately 1.4 million patient visits and nearly 29,000 deaths annually.
Professor Ben Barratt from Imperial College London, who led the research, explained: 'We have a shred of strong evidence linking the outdoor air pollution to increased exacerbations in COPD patients. However, much less was known about the effect of indoor pollution, even though people with COPD spend most of their time indoors. With new technology, we were finally able to investigate this.'
In the study, 76 COPD patients were provided with portable devices to monitor their surrounding air quality for an average of 134 days. The device resembled a small birdhouse with a faux leather case and carried like a shoulder bag. The researchers found that higher nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels were strongly associated with the increased risk of exacerbations. The risk increased by more than 60% when compared to the least polluted days to the most polluted ones. Elevated NO2 levels also worsened cough, wheezing, and phlegm.
Outdoor sources of nitrogen dioxide include traffic emissions, particularly from diesel vehicles, and gas boilers. Here is the good news, the news, modern vehicles emit far less NO2 than older models, and initiatives like London's ultra-low emission zone are helping to reduce outdoor pollution and electric vehicles offer additional hope.
However, it was the indoor sources primarily from gas stoves, that had a pronounced impact on the people with COPD. Professor Alastair Lewis from the University of New York emphasized that even using hydrogen gas for cooking would produce similar household pollution and switching to electric stoves would be the best option to consider.
Barratt advised to take a few necessary steps like ventilating your kitchen while cooking using candles and signing up for air pollution alerts. If you can, opt electric cooker over gas. Think of these steps as preventive medicine to safeguard your health.
There is another review done on the indoor air pollution and COPD deaths in Southern Asia, that half of the developing countries are exposed to indoor pollution and use of solid biomass in rural areas for cooking and heating also have the potential pulmonary risks.
Study focusing on chronic respiratory diseases in India revealed that the country carries disproportionately high burden of respiratory conditions linked to air pollution.
Women typically are at high risk and affected by indoor pollution than men. Over the last two decades, studies have shown that COPD mortality rates have risen in women than men, reflecting their increased exposure to indoor pollutants.
Reference:
1. https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/early/2024/10/07/thorax-2024-221874.full.pdf
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/ Josna Lewis/MSM)
