Allergic Diseases and Impaired Lung Function in Children Exposed and Unexposed to Artisanal Brick Production

Highlights: What are the main findings? Evidence indicates that exposure to artisanal brick kilns increases respiratory symptoms, asthma risk, and pulmonary impairment, with children being particularly vulnerable. What does the study add to the literature? Male sex and residence in brickyards were the principal risk factors for impaired lung function. Among children exposed to artisanal brick production, both overweight and underweight were more frequent than in unexposed peers. The frequency of respiratory symptoms (cough, wheezing, rhinorrhea, and acute respiratory tract infections) was higher in exposed children. What are the implications of the results obtained? Nutritional findings such as overweight and obesity in boys and girls justify the inclusion of dietary and nutritional variables in these types of studies and designs to prevent adverse health effects, mainly in childhood. These results support integrating nutritional assessment and public policies to mitigate respiratory and nutritional risks in exposed children. Background: During the firing stage of artisanal brick production, particulate matter and other pollutants are released into the air, to which children are particularly vulnerable. Objective: To compare the frequency of allergic diseases and impaired lung function among children exposed and unexposed to artisanal brick production. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among 386 children aged 6 to 14 years, recruited from a primary and a secondary school in Guanajuato, Mexico. Participants were classified as exposed (n = 193) or unexposed (n = 193) to artisanal brick production. Once parents and children voluntarily consented to participate, study procedures were initiated. Forced spirometry and anthropometric measurements were performed, and the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire was administered. We assessed the frequency of respiratory symptoms, allergic diseases, and lung function abnormalities. We measured the frequency of respiratory symptoms, allergic diseases, and lung function abnormalities. Results: The mean age of the 386 children was 9.7 ± 1.7 years. Each group consisted of 103 girls and 90 boys. The most important risk factors for impaired lung function were living in the brickyard (OR = 6.9, 95% CI: 4.3–11.1; p = 0.001) and being male (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 2.3–5.7; p = 0.001). The prevalence of impaired lung function was 13.5% in exposed and 4.1% in unexposed children (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.5–8.1; p = 0.001). Most of the respiratory symptoms observed were obstructive and we found no difference in the frequency of allergic diseases, but respiratory symptoms were more frequent in exposed children. Conclusions: Respiratory symptoms and obstructive abnormalities in pulmonary function are more prevalent among children living in brickyards. Male sex and residence in the brickyard were the principal risk factors for impaired lung function.