Grantee Research Project Results

2017 Progress Report: Investigating obesity as a susceptibility factor for air pollution in childhood

EPA Grant Number: R836152C001
Subproject: this is subproject number 001 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R836152
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for the Study of Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment
Center Director: Hansel, Nadia
Title: Investigating obesity as a susceptibility factor for air pollution in childhood
Investigators: McCormack, Meredith , Hansel, Nadia
Institution: The Johns Hopkins University
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: September 1, 2015 through August 31, 2019 (Extended to August 31, 2021)
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 30, 2016 through June 30,2017
RFA: Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (2014) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Children's Health , Human Health

Objective:

Through both an observational and intervention study, this project aims to identify why obese children with asthma have increased susceptibility to air pollution compared to lean counterparts. We will examine the leading candidate mediators of the increased susceptibility to PM among overweight children, with asthma who are more susceptible to indoor particulate matter compared to normal weight children with asthma using an experimental study design with an air purifier intervention that targets indoor PM reduction.

Specific aims of the study are to determine:

• If overweight inner city children, compared to lean inner city children, have greater improvement in asthma with an air purifier intervention aimed at reducing indoor PM.
• Whether increases in tidal volume and thereby increases in doses of inhaled particles mediate increased susceptibility to indoor PM among overweight versus lean children with asthma.
• Whether increases in inflammatory and oxidative stress responses mediate increased susceptibility to indoor PM among overweight versus lean children with asthma.
• Whether increases in glucocorticoid resistance mediate increased susceptibility to indoor PM among overweight versus lean children with asthma.
• Whether differences in sleep disordered breathing mediate increased susceptibility to indoor PM among overweight versus lean children with asthma.

Progress Summary:

We have made significant progress launching this study. Accomplishments to date include:

• Periodical meetings with the community advisory board (C-RAC) to discuss the study protocol, progress, recruitment strategies and the use of social media on various occasions: to date, there have been three meetings. These periodic meetings will continue throughout the study’s duration.
• Added additional study questionnaires, including the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), School Questionnaire and Food Insecurity Questionnaire.
• Confirmed the recent development of a REDCap database to allow real-time data entry, data validation and storage of data collected.
• Established and maintain accounts with Core Lab facilities to ensure proper handling of biospecimens, specifically Complete Blood Count (CBC) with differential and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (pBMC) isolation for same day processing.
• Established and maintain accounts with two local taxi companies to provide participant transportation to and from clinic visits.
• Developed a tidal volume application (app) to monitor tidal volume.
• Established relationships with other pediatric studies, physicians, schools, libraries and community centers to expand recruitment, including ABC Headstart, Camp Superkids, ECATCh, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, Pediatric Pulmonary Function Labs, Baltimore City community schools, libraries and community centers. Additionally, we attend Port Discovery Family Fun nights hosted on the third Friday of every month.
  • Contacted 478 potential participants,
  • Scheduled 68 clinic visit 1 (screening visits),
    • 42 children enrolled (consented),
  • Completed 44 clinic visit 2 (pre-intervention),
  • Completed 17 clinic visit 3 (post-intervention), and completed 31 sleep visits.

Further, we recently started to incorporate social media as an avenue to inform and recruit from the community. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts have been established, and development of possible postable content is also underway.

Future Activities:

During the next reporting period, we plan to enroll approximately 50 children into the study.

By the end of the next reporting period, 100-110 participants will have enrolled in the study. We anticipate that we will have collected and stored urine and blood samples at each of three time points for all completing participants.

Supplemental Keywords:

Air pollution, obesity, asthma exacerbation, inner city

Relevant Websites:

Clinical Trials.gov:  AIRWEIGHS: Investigating Obesity as a Susceptibility Factor for Air Pollution in Childhood Asthma

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2016 Progress Report

2018

2019

2020

Final

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R836152    Center for the Study of Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R836152C001 Investigating obesity as a susceptibility factor for air pollution in childhood
R836152C002 Novel exposure metrics for assessing the effects of ultrafine and fine particulate matter on asthma in children
R836152C003 The Role of Obesity in Biological Responses to Particulate Matter in Mice