The relationship of early-life household air pollution with childhood asthma and lung function

Abstract

The increase in childhood asthma over the past few decades has made it an important public health issue. Poor lung function growth associated with some phenotypes of asthma compounds its long-term impact on the individual. Exposure to early-life household risk factors is believed to be linked with respiratory health while infants’ lungs are still developing. This review summarises epidemiological studies and mechanistic evidence focusing on the detrimental effects of early-life household air exposures on the respiratory health of children, in particular effects on asthma and lung function. Many early-life household air exposures, including tobacco smoke, gases from heating and cooking, mould..