Air Pollution Can Cause Emphysema

Latest Research shows people who live close to highways and air pollution are often exposed to greater risk of health problems suffered emphysema and other lung.

Air pollution from motor vehicles in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta is already in the stage of worrying. In fact, the so-called air quality in Jakarta is currently ranked third worst in the world, after Mexico and Bangkok.

Poor levels of air pollution in Jakarta, causing many social problems for its residents. The main problem, of course, a health problem.

According to data from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), 46% of disease in Jakarta are caused by air pollution, where the diseases are generally respiratory infections, asthma, and lung cancer.

In addition to these diseases, the pollution is also potentially lead to physiological changes in humans, such as weakening the function of lungs and affect blood pressure. A new study reinforces that fact.

Air pollution shown to aggravate symptoms in people with lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a group of lung conditions which severely damaged the disease including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

However, whether long-term exposure to air pollution affects the possibility for someone to have COPD? Until now the answer is still unclear.

In this latest study the researchers found evidence that among nearly 53,000 people aged Danish adults followed for 35 years is estimated to have exposure to air pollution on the road more, the risk of developing COPD was higher than those with little exposure.

The findings are reported in the journal American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, which shows the relationship between air pollution on the highway and the risk of COPD.

The researchers, however, does not prove causation in this matter. Smoking is the main cause of COPD, estimated to be behind more than 95% of cases. Other environmental factors, such as heavy exposure to dust from coal, grain or wood, can also cause COPD.

The current findings raise the possibility that long-term exposure to air pollution on the highway contributes to the risk of COPD in some people, especially vulnerable by certain health conditions such as asthma.

"If that happens, a person's risk for COPD due to exposure to pollution will be very small compared to smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke," said study leader Zorana J Andersen, the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen

Denmark as reported by Reuters Health.

But he said, at the population level, even small risks associated with air pollution from vehicle fumes will "can not be ignored," given the millions of people who live in urban areas of high pollution levels.

These findings are based on 52,799 adults aged 50-64 who filled out questionnaires containing questions about health and lifestyle, including smoking history, in the mid-1990s.

Andersen's team used data from participants in the Danish national hospital of the patients who sign up treatment for the first time attacked COPD between 1971 and 2006. They also estimate individual long-term exposure to pollutants highway based on domicile of their residence during the study period.

Overall, more than 3% of study participants had been admitted to hospital for the first time for COPD treatment during the study.

When the researchers looked at the average long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide participants
-Pollutant produced by automobile exhaust, the researchers found that those exposure levels above 25% more likely to be hospitalized because of COPD than those who are under 25%.

The relationship between highway pollution and risk of COPD appear stronger among people with asthma or diabetes than those who were in good health. This, according to Andersen's team, the likelihood that people with poor health who experienced systemic inflammation in the body will be more susceptible to the effects of highway pollution on lung function.

However, the researchers also cautioned that in terms of statistics, the conclusion that relationship is still weak or is still "within limits”. They are also reminded to be careful in interpreting the strength of a causal relationship has been reported in this study and possible duplication of these results with other studies.

Another limitation of this research, including the fact that exposure to pollution to the participants predicted on the basis of their residential address. But where an individual is actually exposed to pollution, could be from various sources, is unknown.

However, Andersen said that one must be aware that heavy exposure to highway pollution has long been associated with numerous health risks, including the development of asthma and deaths from heart disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association showed that people with heart disease and other risk individuals, including parents and those with heart disease risk factors, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, immediately reduce their exposure to smoke pollution vehicles on the highway.

At a broader level, Andersen noted, the relationship between air pollution and health risks in humans is very important in supporting government policies which are used as pollution control in a country.