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Sub-Clinical effects of outdoor smoke in affected communities
O’Dwyer, Thomas Abramson, Michael J. Straney, Lahn Salimi, Farhad Johnston, Fay Wheeler, Amanda J. O’Keeffe, David Haikerwal, Anjali Reisen, Fabienne Hopper, Ingrid
O’Dwyer, Thomas
Abramson, Michael J.
Straney, Lahn
Salimi, Farhad
Johnston, Fay
Wheeler, Amanda J.
O’Keeffe, David
Haikerwal, Anjali
Reisen, Fabienne
Hopper, Ingrid
Abstract
Many Australians are intermittently exposed to landscape fire smoke from wildfires or planned (prescribed) burns. This study aimed to investigate effects of outdoor smoke from planned burns, wildfires and a coal mine fire by assessing biomarkers of inflammation in an exposed and predominantly older population. Participants were recruited from three communities in south-eastern Australia. Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were continuously measured within these communities, with participants performing a range of health measures during and without a smoke event. Changes in biomarkers were examined in response to PM2.5 concentrations from outdoor smoke. Increased levels of FeNO (fractional exhaled nitric oxide) (β = 0.500 [95%CI 0.192 to 0.808] p < 0.001) at a 4 h lag were associated with a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 levels from outdoor smoke, with effects also shown for wildfire smoke at 4, 12, 24 and 48-h lag periods and coal mine fire smoke at a 4 h lag. Total white cell (β = −0.088 [−0.171 to −0.006] p = 0.036) and neutrophil counts (β = −0.077 [−0.144 to −0.010] p = 0.024) declined in response to a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5. However, exposure to outdoor smoke resulting from wildfires, planned burns and a coal mine fire was not found to affect other blood biomarkers.
Keywords
smoke, PM2.5, landscape fire, bushfire, biomarkers, FeNO, neutrophils, white cell count
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Book
Volume
18
Issue
3
Page Range
1-10
Article Number
Article 1131
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY
File Access
Open