Urban grey spaces are associated with increased allergy in the general population

S. Maio*, S. Baldacci, S. Tagliaferro, A. Angino, Eija Parmes, Juha Pärkkä, G. Pesce, C. N. Maesano, I. Annesi-Maesano, G. Viegi

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    20 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Background: the built environment in urban areas may have side effects on children's respiratory health, whilst less is known for adulthood.

    Aim: to assess the association between increasing exposure to grey spaces and allergic status in an adult general population sample.

    Methods: 2070 subjects (age range 15–84 yrs), living in Pisa/Cascina, Italy, were investigated in 1991–93 through a questionnaire on health status and risk factors, skin prick test (SPT), serum Immunoglobulins E (IgE), and serum antibodies to benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE)-DNA adducts. Land-cover exposure within a 1000 m buffer from each subject's home address was assessed through the CORINE Land Cover program (CLC 1990) within the FP7/HEALS project (2013–2018). Participants' residential addresses were geocoded and the proportion of surrounding grey spaces was calculated. Through logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounding factors, the effect of a 10% increase in grey spaces exposure on allergic biomarkers/conditions was assessed; the relationship with serum antibodies to BPDE-DNA adducts positivity was also analyzed.

    Results: A 10% increase in grey spaces coverage was associated with a higher probability of having SPT positivity (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.13), seasonal SPT positivity (OR 1.12, 1.05-1.19), polysensitization (OR 1.11, 1.04-1.19), allergic rhinitis (OR 1.10, 1.04-1.17), co-presence of SPT positivity and asthma/allergic rhinitis (OR 1.16, 1.08-1.25), asthma/allergic rhinitis (OR 1.06, 1.00-1.12), presence of serum antibodies to BPDE-DNA adducts positivity (OR 1.07, 1.01-1.14).

    Conclusions: grey spaces have adverse effects on allergic status and are related to a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure in adulthood. Thus, they may be used as a proxy of urban environmental exposure.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number112428
    Number of pages8
    JournalEnvironmental Research
    Volume206
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 15 Apr 2022
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Funding

    This work was supported in part by the CNR -ENEL (Italian Electric Power Authority) ‘Interaction of Energy Systems with Human Health and Environment’ Project (1989) and by the Italian National Research Council Targeted Project ‘Prevention and Control Disease Factors-SP 2’ (Contract No. 91.00171.PF41 ; 1991). Information about CORINE Land Cover data were obtained within the HEALS project (2013–2018) which has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research , technological development and demonstration [grant number FP7-ENV-2013-603946 ].

    Keywords

    • Adulthood
    • Allergic symptoms/diseases
    • Biomarkers
    • Built environment
    • CORINE land Cover

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