by Justin Jackson , Medical Xpress

Credit: Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels

Research led by Fudan University and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China reports that indoor air purification significantly improves respiratory health in school-aged children.

Respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of mortality in children, with fine particulate matter (FPM) exposure linked to increased risks. While particulate matter exposure is known to impair respiratory health, the benefits of air purification in children have not been fully explored.

In the study titled "Respiratory Benefits of Multisetting Air Purification in Children: A Cluster Randomized Crossover Trial," published in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers conducted an air quality trial with 79 healthy children in China aged 10 to 12 years.

The intervention involved multi-setting air purification in both classrooms and bedrooms. Each intervention lasted over two months (76 days), separated by a washout period of 88 days. Pulmonary function, airway inflammation markers, and metabolites in exhaled breath condensate were measured before and after the intervention.

The school's outdoor levels of FPM averaged 32.53 μg/m³, indicating that air quality is approaching levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Personal exposure to FPM decreased by 45.14% during periods with active air purification compared to sham purification periods.

Air purification led to an 8.04% increase in forced expiratory volume in one second, a 16.52% rise in peak expiratory flow, and a 5.73% improvement in forced vital capacity.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels in exhaled breath dropped by 22.38% in the group using air purification. Several metabolites, including L-tyrosine and β-alanine, were identified as mediators of the respiratory benefits.

These findings indicate the importance of intensified indoor air purification in regions with high air pollution levels to safeguard children's respiratory health, at least until adults get more serious about the quality of the air they breathe outdoors.

More information: Jian Lei et al, Respiratory Benefits of Multisetting Air Purification in Children, JAMA Pediatrics (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.5049

Journal information: JAMA Pediatrics 

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