Assessment of the Feasibility of a Future Integrated Larger-Scale Epidemiological Study to Evaluate Health Risks of Air Pollution Episodes in Children.

Nauwelaerts, Sarah; De Cremer, Koen; Bustos Sierra, Natalia; Gand, Mathieu; Van Geel, Dirk; Delvoye, Maud; Vandermassen, Els; Vercauteren, Jordy; Stroobants, Christophe; Bernard, Alfred; Saenen, Nelly D; Nawrot, Tim S; Roosens, Nancy H C; De Keersmaecker, Sigrid C J

doi:10.3390/ijerph19148531

Assessment of the Feasibility of a Future Integrated Larger-Scale Epidemiological Study to Evaluate Health Risks of Air Pollution Episodes in Children.

Nauwelaerts, Sarah

;

De Cremer, Koen

;

Bustos Sierra, Natalia

;

Gand, Mathieu

;

De Keersmaecker, Sigrid C J

;et.al.

(2022) International journal of environmental research and public health — Vol. 19, n° 14, p. 8531 [1-28] (2022)

Files

2022_Nauwelaerts_Int_J_Environ_Res_Public_Health.pdf

Open Access
Adobe PDF
703.92 KB

Download

Details

Authors

Nauwelaerts, SarahUCLouvain
Author
De Cremer, Koen
Author
Bustos Sierra, Natalia
Author
Gand, Mathieu
Author
Bernard, AlfredUCLouvain
Author
De Keersmaecker, Sigrid C J
Author

Abstract

Air pollution exposure can lead to exacerbation of respiratory disorders in children. Using sensitive biomarkers helps to assess the impact of air pollution on children's respiratory health and combining protein, genetic and epigenetic biomarkers gives insights on their interrelatedness. Most studies do not contain such an integrated approach and investigate these biomarkers individually in blood, although its collection in children is challenging. Our study aimed at assessing the feasibility of conducting future integrated larger-scale studies evaluating respiratory health risks of air pollution episodes in children, based on a qualitative analysis of the technical and logistic aspects of a small-scale field study involving 42 children. This included the preparation, collection and storage of non-invasive samples (urine, saliva), the measurement of general and respiratory health parameters and the measurement of specific biomarkers (genetic, protein, epigenetic) of respiratory health and air pollution exposure. Bottlenecks were identified and modifications were proposed to expand this integrated study to a higher number of children, time points and locations. This would allow for non-invasive assessment of the impact of air pollution exposure on the respiratory health of children in future larger-scale studies, which is critical for the development of policies or measures at the population level.

Affiliations

UCLouvainSSS/IREC/LTAP - Louvain Centre for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

Citations

APA
Chicago
FWB

Nauwelaerts, S., De Cremer, K., Bustos Sierra, N., Gand, M., Van Geel, D., Delvoye, M., Vandermassen, E., Vercauteren, J., Stroobants, C., Bernard, A., Saenen, N. D., Nawrot, T. S., Roosens, N. H. C., & De Keersmaecker, S. C. J. (2022). Assessment of the Feasibility of a Future Integrated Larger-Scale Epidemiological Study to Evaluate Health Risks of Air Pollution Episodes in Children. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(14), 8531 [1-28]. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148531 (Original work published 2022)