Residential greenness, asthma, and lung function among children at high risk of allergic sensitization: a prospective cohort study
Citation:
Hartley, K., G. Rice, P. Ryan, G. Gillespie, G. Donovan, R. Gernes, G. Khurana Hershey, G. Lemasters, Michael Wright, AND C. Brokamp. Residential greenness, asthma, and lung function among children at high risk of allergic sensitization: a prospective cohort study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. Academic Press Incorporated, Orlando, FL, 21(1):52, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-022-00864-w
Impact/Purpose:
Dissemination of epidemiological study findings on greenspace and risk of asthma and lung function.
Description:
Background: While benefits of greenness to health have been reported, findings specific to child respiratory health are inconsistent. Methods: We utilized a prospective birth cohort followed from birth to age 7 years (n = 617). Residential surrounding greenness was quantified via Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within 200, 400, and 800 m distances from geocoded home addresses at birth, age 7 years, and across childhood. Respiratory health outcomes were assessed at age 7 years, including asthma and lung function [percent predicted forced expiratory volume in the first second (%FEV1), percent predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC), and percent predicted ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity (%FEV1/FVC)]. We assessed associations using linear and logistic regression models adjusted for community deprivation, household income, and traffic-related air pollution. We tested for effect measure modification by atopic status. Results: We noted evidence of positive confounding as inverse associations were attenuated upon adjustment in the multivariable models. We found evidence of effect measure modification of NDVI and asthma within 400 m at age 7 years by atopic status (p = 0.04), whereby children sensitized to common allergens were more likely to develop asthma as exposure to greenness increased (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 0.9, 2.0) versus children not sensitized to common allergens (OR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.5, 1.2). We found consistently positive associations between NDVI and %FEV1 and %FVC which similarly evidenced positive confounding upon adjustment. In the adjusted regression models, NDVI at 7 years of age was associated with %FEV1 (200 m: β = 2.1, 95% CI: 0.1, 3.3; 400 m: β = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.3, 2.9) and %FVC (200 m: β = 1.8, 95% CI: 0.7, 3.0; 400 m: β = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.3, 2.8; 800 m: β = 1.5, 95% CI: 0.1, 2.8). Adjusted results for %FEV1/FVC were non-significant except exposure at birth in the 400 m buffer (β = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.5). We found no evidence of effect measure modification of NDVI by atopic status for objective measures of lung function. Conclusion: Sensitivity to allergens may modify the effect of greenness on risk for asthma in children but greenness is likely beneficial for concurrent lung function regardless of allergic status.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Residential greenness, asthma, and lung function among children at high risk of allergic sensitization: a prospective cohort study