(Environmental Health Perspectives) This study aimed to determine the effect of indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations on asthma morbidity in an inner-city population of preschool children in Baltimore, Maryland. 150 children with physician-diagnosed asthma were recruited and indoor air was monitored over 72 hours at baseline and 3 and 6 months. The results showed that the presence of a gas stove and the use of a space heater or oven/stove for heat were associated with higher NO2 concentrations. Each 20 ppb increase in NO2 exposure was associated with an increase in the number of days with limited speech, cough, and nocturnal symptoms, after adjusting for potential confounders. The study concluded that higher indoor NO2 concentrations were associated with increased asthma symptoms in preschool inner-city children, and that interventions aimed at lowering NO2 concentrations in inner-city homes may reduce asthma morbidity in this vulnerable population.
Hansel, N., Breysse, P., McCormack, M., Matsui, E., Curtin-Brosnan, J., Williams, D., Moore, J., Cuhran, J., Diette, G., (2008) A Longitudinal Study of Indoor Nitrogen Dioxide Levels and Respiratory Symptoms in Inner-City Children with Asthma. Environmental Health Perspectives Vol 116 No. 10 https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.11349