Effect of catastrophic wildfires on asthmatic outcomes in obese children: breathing fire.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Air pollutants from wildfires and obesity independently exacerbate asthma, yet no study has determined the combined effects of these 2 variables on asthma outcomes.

Objective

To determine the effect of 2 catastrophic wildfires affecting the Southern California region (in 2003 and 2007) on several asthma outcomes in a cohort of children.

Methods

To investigate the association between wildfire exposure and asthma outcomes, we stratified our study population by body mass index categories (underweight, normal, overweight, and obese) and zip codes (to distinguish individuals who were closer to the fires vs farther away). The primary outcome was the prevalence of physician-dispensed short-acting β-agonist (SABAs). Secondary outcomes included the rate of emergency

SUBMITTER: Tse K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4387007 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature