Health Effects of Diesel Exhaust Emissions
Copyright #ERS Journals Ltd 2001 Eur Respir J 2001; 17: 733±746 European Respiratory Journal Printed in UK ± all rights reserved ISSN 0903-1936 Health effects of diesel exhaust emissions A. Sydbom*, A. Blomberg#, S. Parnia#,}, N. Stenfors#, T. SandstroÈm#, S-E. DahleÂn* Health effects of diesel exhaust emissions. A. Sydbom, A. Blomberg, S. Parnia, N. *Unit for Experimental Asthma & Stenfors, T. SandstroÈm, S-E. DahleÂn. #ERS Journals Ltd 2001. Allergy Research, The National Insti- ABSTRACT: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between tute of Environmental Medicine, Kar- different levels of air pollution and various health outcomes including mortality, olinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. #Dept of Respiratory Medicine and exacerbation of asthma, chronic bronchitis, respiratory tract infections, ischaemic heart Allergy, University Hospital, UmeaÊ, disease and stroke. Of the motor vehicle generated air pollutants, diesel exhaust Sweden. }Respiratory Cell andMole- particles account for a highly signi®cant percentage of the particles emitted in many cular Biology Research Division, towns and cities. This review is therefore focused on the health effects of diesel exhaust, Southampton General Hospital, Tre- and especially the particular matter components. mona Road, Southampton, UK. Acute effects of diesel exhaust exposure include irritation of the nose and eyes, lung function changes, respiratory changes, headache, fatigue and nausea. Chronic exposures Correspondence: S-E. DahleÂn, Unit for are associated with cough, sputum production and lung function decrements. In addition Experimental Asthma & Allergy Research, The National Institute of to symptoms, exposure studies in healthy humans have documented a number of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska profound in¯ammatory changes in the airways, notably, before changes in pulmonary Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, function can be detected.
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