Original scientific paper

The effects of air pollution on ventilatory lung functions

Vilma Matković ; Primary Health Centre, Rljeka, Croatia
Ivica Kontošić ; School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Hanija Grubišić-Greblo ; School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Nada Matković ; Institute of Public Health. Rijeka, Croatia
Vladimir Mićović ; Institute of Public Health. Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

The prevalence of chronic bronchitis was studied among female subjects aged 18-63 years from three areas with different ambient air quality: Bakar and Krasica with SO2 concentrations above the WHO guideline and Viškovo where the SO2 concentrations were below the guideline. The subjects were examined and administered a questionnaire. Differences in their ventilatory lung functions were tested and related to air quality. The subjects from the two regions with a higher pollution level had lower FVC and FEV1 values than those from the Viškovo region. However, no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of chronic bronchitis between the subjects from regions with different ambient air quality were found. The same applies to the occurrence of pathological restrictive ventilation disturbances. In the Krasica region the occurrence of pathological obstructive ventilatory disturbances was significantly higher than in the Viškovo and Bakar regions; a correlation between the duration of residence and ventilatory lung function was also observed.

Keywords

ambient air pollution; chronic bronchitis; housing conditions; human exposure; sulphur(IV)oxide

Hrčak ID:

145390

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/145390

Publication date:

7.12.1995.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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