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

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.112428

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 journal › Article › Scientific › peer-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 language	English
Article number	112428
Number of pages	8
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	206
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.112428
Publication status	Published - 15 Apr 2022
MoE publication type	A1 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

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.envres.2021.112428

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@article{c32b4bf18ecb43e0a45a7fde4a408ae9,

title = "Urban grey spaces are associated with increased allergy in the general population",

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.",

keywords = "Adulthood, Allergic symptoms/diseases, Biomarkers, Built environment, CORINE land Cover",

author = "S. Maio and S. Baldacci and S. Tagliaferro and A. Angino and Eija Parmes and Juha P{\"a}rkk{\"a} and G. Pesce and Maesano, {C. N.} and I. Annesi-Maesano and G. Viegi",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.envres.2021.112428",

language = "English",

volume = "206",

journal = "Environmental Research",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Urban grey spaces are associated with increased allergy in the general population

AU - Maio, S.

AU - Baldacci, S.

AU - Tagliaferro, S.

AU - Angino, A.

AU - Parmes, Eija

AU - Pärkkä, Juha

AU - Pesce, G.

AU - Maesano, C. N.

AU - Annesi-Maesano, I.

AU - Viegi, G.

PY - 2022/4/15

Y1 - 2022/4/15

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Adulthood

KW - Allergic symptoms/diseases

KW - Biomarkers

KW - Built environment

KW - CORINE land Cover

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U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112428

DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112428

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85120164740

SN - 0013-9351

VL - 206

JO - Environmental Research

JF - Environmental Research

M1 - 112428

ER -

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

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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