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EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS AND ASTHMA

Allergic airway diseases are related to exposure to atmospheric pollutants, which have been suggested to be one factor in the increasing prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma. This study was conducted in order to determine the relationship between long term exposure to air pollution and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma in the city of Niš (high concentrations of air pollutants ) and the Niška Banja spa (zone with the lowest concentration of air pollution). The investigation was carried out at the Public Health Institute in the period between 1999 and 2005 .A sample of 500 participants from Niš and Niška Banja was split intro three age groups: up to 25, between 26 and 50, and above 51. A significance test was performed using a Mantel-Haenszel chi square (χ) statistic. This test was used to check for a statistically significant difference between the incidence of allergic rhinitis and asthma between the investigated group and the control group across all age groups. The odds ratio(OR) and relative risk (RR) were determined. Modified WHO, British MRC and American Thoracis Society questionnaires were run among the investigated and contol population sample group. The statistical significance between measured concentrations in the air at observed measured spots was determined using the Student's T-test. Statistics parameters such as arithmetic mean, median, standard deviation were employed in the assessment process. The study has proven that the allergic asthma incidence (p < 0.05) was significantly higher among Niš inhabitants (investigated group) across all age categories. The highest value of the chi square test was determined in the age group 26-50 years (RR = 2.18, OR = 2.69), in the group up to 25 years RR = 1.93, OR = 2.46 and in the group above 51 years RR = 1.88, OR = 2.37. The highest value of the chi square test (allergic rhinitis) was determined in the age group 2650 years (RR = 13.00, OR = 22.18), in the group up to 25 years RR = 5.80, OR = 8.53 and in the group above 51 years RR = 1.26, OR = 1.38. The obtained results prove that the incidence of allergic rhinitis and asthma is significantly higher in the exposed population than in the non-exposed.