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Recent Insights into the Environmental Determinants of Childhood Asthma

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Ubiquitous environmental exposures, including ambient air pollutants, are linked to the development and severity of childhood asthma. Advances in our understanding of these links have increasingly led to clinical interventions to reduce asthma morbidity.

Recent Findings

We review recent work untangling the complex relationship between air pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone and asthma, such as vulnerable windows of pediatric exposure and their interaction with other factors influencing asthma development and severity. These have led to interventions to reduce air pollutant levels in children’s homes and schools. We also highlight emerging environmental exposures increasingly associated with childhood asthma. Growing evidence supports the present threat of climate change to children with asthma.

Summary

Environmental factors play a large role in the pathogenesis and persistence of pediatric asthma; in turn, this poses an opportunity to intervene to change the course of disease early in life.

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Data Availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Acknowledgements

Figures were created with BioRender.com.

Funding

Dr. Sun is a Fellow in the Pediatric Scientist Development Program, supported by NIH/NICHD grant K12HD000850 and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Dr. Gaffin is supported by NIH/NIEHS grants R01ES030100, P30ES000002 and the American Lung Association.

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  1. Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, BCH 3121, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Bob Z. Sun & Jonathan M. Gaffin

  2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Bob Z. Sun & Jonathan M. Gaffin

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Dr. Sun drafted the manuscript and prepared the figures. Dr. Gaffin conceived of the work and critically reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jonathan M. Gaffin.

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Sun, B.Z., Gaffin, J.M. Recent Insights into the Environmental Determinants of Childhood Asthma. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-024-01140-2

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