Exposure to Environmental Pollutants and the Risk of Respiratory Illnesses in 36-Month-Old Children: The Korean Children's Environmental Health Study (Ko-CHENS).
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Allergy Immunology Center, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
- 3Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Environmental Health Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Korea.
- 5Allergy Immunology Center, Korea University, Seoul, Korea. [email protected].
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the association of exposure to environmental pollutants and surrounding residential environments with the development of respiratory illnesses in 36-month-old children using data from the Korean CHildren's ENvironmental health Study.Methods
Demographic information and anthropometric measurements were obtained from the newborns. At 36 months of age, indoor environmental pollutant levels (particulate matter [PM₁₀ and PM2.5], volatile organic compounds, and house dust mite allergens) were measured during home visits. Concentrations of both heavy metals (lead, mercury, and cadmium) in blood and metabolites of environmental hormones in urine were analyzed. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the presence of 6 common respiratory illnesses (infantile asthma, current asthma, recurrent wheezing, allergic rhinitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia) and residential environmental characteristics. Quantile-based g-computation was employed to estimate the joint association of exposure to mixtures of physical and chemical environmental factors with the risk of respiratory illnesses.Results
Among the total of 4,059 children, current allergic rhinitis was the most prevalent respiratory illness at 36 months. Compared with children without respiratory illnesses, those with respiratory illnesses showed significantly higher frequencies of exposure to environmental tobacco smoking and pet ownership. Dust mite concentrations were higher among children with recurrent wheezing and pneumonia. Mixture exposure analysis revealed that overall mixture exposure was positively associated with current allergic rhinitis, largely driven by lead and phthalate metabolites, and with pneumonia, mainly attributable to phthalate metabolites. Exposure to a mixture of multiple chemicals was positively associated with infantile asthma and current asthma.Conclusions
Direct and indirect exposures to environmental pollutants are closely associated with the development of respiratory illnesses in young children, and the surrounding residential environment during early childhood also plays a critical role in determining respiratory disease risk. These findings support the need for systematic and sustainable environmental management at both individual and community levels to protect children who are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards.
Related
- Identification of adventitious lung sounds in children with respiratory illnesses in Bangladesh using artificial intelligence and digital auscultation
- Preconception, prenatal and postnatal exposure to gaseous air pollutants (NO2, O3) and neurodevelopmental disorders in children among Medicaid recipients: a national cohort study
- Associations of short-term exposure to multiple air pollutants with hospital admissions for ischemic stroke in Lanzhou, China
- Longitudinal personal environmental exposure and Streptococcus pneumoniae colonisation in a cohort of children 5-14 years old in rural Gambia.
- Environmental Science at a Transformational Crossroads: Two Decades of the "National Conference on Environmental Chemistry" and the Future of New Pollutants Research.
BibTeX
@article{kang2026exposure,
title = {{Exposure to Environmental Pollutants and the Risk of Respiratory Illnesses in 36-Month-Old Children: The Korean Children's Environmental Health Study (Ko-CHENS).}},
author = {Changmin Kang and Seung-Ah Choe and Hyunseo Kim and Geunhwa Lee and JungHeum Jo and Jue Seong Lee and Dae Jin Song and Young Yoo and Ko-CHENS Study group},
journal = {Allergy, asthma \& immunology research},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.4168/aair.2026.18.5.668},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42845224},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Exposure to Environmental Pollutants and the Risk of Respiratory Illnesses in 36-Month-Old Children: The Korean Children's Environmental Health Study (Ko-CHENS).
AU - Changmin Kang
AU - Seung-Ah Choe
AU - Hyunseo Kim
AU - Geunhwa Lee
AU - JungHeum Jo
AU - Jue Seong Lee
AU - Dae Jin Song
AU - Young Yoo
AU - Ko-CHENS Study group
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Allergy, asthma & immunology research
DO - 10.4168/aair.2026.18.5.668
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42845224
AB - Purpose This study aimed to investigate the association of exposure to environmental pollutants and surrounding residential environments with the development of respiratory illnesses in 36-month-old children using data from the Korean CHildren's ENvironmental health Study.Methods Demographic information and anthropometric measurements were obtained from the newborns. At 36 months of age, indoor environmental pollutant levels (particulate matter [PM₁₀ and PM2.5], volatile organic compounds, and house dust mite allergens) were measured during home visits. Concentrations of both heavy metals (lead, mercury, and cadmium) in blood and metabolites of environmental hormones in urine were analyzed. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the presence of 6 common respiratory illnesses (infantile asthma, current asthma, recurrent wheezing, allergic rhinitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia) and residential environmental characteristics. Quantile-based g-computation was employed to estimate the joint association of exposure to mixtures of physical and chemical environmental factors with the risk of respiratory illnesses.Results Among the total of 4,059 children, current allergic rhinitis was the most prevalent respiratory illness at 36 months. Compared with children without respiratory illnesses, those with respiratory illnesses showed significantly higher frequencies of exposure to environmental tobacco smoking and pet ownership. Dust mite concentrations were higher among children with recurrent wheezing and pneumonia. Mixture exposure analysis revealed that overall mixture exposure was positively associated with current allergic rhinitis, largely driven by lead and phthalate metabolites, and with pneumonia, mainly attributable to phthalate metabolites. Exposure to a mixture of multiple chemicals was positively associated with infantile asthma and current asthma.Conclusions Direct and indirect exposures to environmental pollutants are closely associated with the development of respiratory illnesses in young children, and the surrounding residential environment during early childhood also plays a critical role in determining respiratory disease risk. These findings support the need for systematic and sustainable environmental management at both individual and community levels to protect children who are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards.
SN - 2092-7355
SN - 2092-7363
ER -