Qualidade do ar interior e sintomas respiratórios em escolas do Porto

 

Indoor air quality and respiratory symptoms in Porto schools

 

Sílvia Fraga ¹

Elisabete Ramos ¹

Anabela Martins ²

Maria João Samúdio ²

Gabriela Silva ²

Joaquim Guedes ³

Eduardo Oliveira Fernandes ²

Henrique Barros ¹

 

Resumo

Objectivo: Avaliar a associação entre a qualidade do ar interior em escolas da cidade do Porto e a prevalência de patologia alérgica e respiratória nos adolescentes que as frequentam.

Participantes e métodos: Foi avaliada temperatura, humidade relativa, concentração de CO2 (dióxido de carbono) e de COV (compostos orgânicos voláteis) em nove escolas públicas da cidade do Porto. Em cada escola foram avaliados os alunos de nove turmas do 7.º, 8.º e 9.º anos, num total de 1607 adolescentes com média de idades de 14,0 (desvio-padrão=0,3) anos. A avaliação foi feita através de um questionário que compreendia questões referentes a características demográficas, sociais e comportamentais do adolescente e características da habitação de residência. Utilizou-se o questionário do International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) para avaliar a sintomatologia respiratória.

Resultados: Nos doze meses que antecederam a avaliação, referiram ter tido asma 5,8% dos adolescentes, pieira 9,2%, crises de espirros 22,0% e alterações na pele 6,6%. Após ajuste para a escolaridade dos pais, valores de CO2 > 2100 ppm associaram-se a pieira durante o exercício [OR=1,86 (IC95% 1,20 -2,89)] e tosse nocturna [OR=1,40 (0,95 -2,06)]. Observou-se um aumento da estimativa de risco de sintomas de pieira nos últimos 12 meses, asma alguma vez na vida e nos últimos 12 meses e tosse nocturna nas escolas com valores mais elevados de COV, embora a associação não seja estatisticamente significativa.

Conclusão: Piores indicadores de qualidade do ar interior, nomeadamente concentração de CO2, associaram-se a maior sintomatologia respiratória.

Palavras-chave: Sintomas respiratórios, escolas, adolescentes.

 

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the association between the indoor air quality in Porto schools and the prevalence of allergic and respiratory symptoms in adolescents.

Material and methods: Temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2) and volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations were evaluated in nine Porto schools. Questionnaires were distributed to 9 classes of 7th , 8th and 9th year students in each school, total 1607 adolescents, with a mean age of 14.0 years (standard deviation=0.3). Information was collected on participants’ socio-demographic and social characteristics, behaviour, and housing conditions. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire was used to evaluate respiratory symptoms.

Results: 5.8% of participants stated they had had asthma, 9.2% wheezing, 22.0% sneezing and 6.6% itchy rash In the 12 months preceding the evaluation. After adjustment for parental educational attainment level, CO2 > 2100ppm values were associated with exercise-induced wheeze [OR=1.86 (95%CI:1.20-2.89)] and night cough [OR=1.40 (4.20-2.89)]. We observed an increasing odds ratio in wheezing symptoms over the last 12 months, in asthma ‘at some point’ and asthma over the last 12 months, and night cough at schools with higher VOC values. The association was not statistically significant, however.

Conclusion: Lower indicators of indoor air quality, particularly CO2, were associated with a greater respiratory symptomatology.

Key-words: Respiratory symptoms, schools, adolescents.

 

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¹ Serviço de Higiene e Epidemiologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto / Hygiene and Epidemiology Unit, School of Medicine, Universidade do Porto

² Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica da Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto / Mechanical Engineering Institute, School of Engineering, Universidade do Porto

³ Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto / Faculty of Science, Universidade do Porto

 

Serviço de Higiene e Epidemiologia

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4200-319 Porto

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Recebido para publicação/received for publication: 08.03.18

Aceite para publicação/accepted for publication: 08.05.05