Association of air-conditioning with respiratory symptoms in office workers in tropical climate

Reported symptoms from 2000 workers in air-conditioned offices and from 500 workers in natural ventilated buildings have been analyzed using univariate and multiple logistic regression models.The conclusion of that study is that buildings with air conditioning have a higher prevalence of work related upper respiratory symptoms than buildings with natural ventilation though located in tropical country with high relative and absolute humidity rates all around the year.

Tobacco smoking increases dramatically air concentrations of endotoxin

Endotoxin is one of the most powerful inflammatory mediators known. This explains the high prevalence of respiratory disorders among smokers.In this study, GC-MSMS Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is used to analyze the presence of endotoxin in smoke from active smoking and in environmental tobacco smoke.

Building-related respiratory symptoms can be predicted with semi-quantitative indices of exposure to dampness and mold.

This study aims at demonstrating that semi-quantitative dampness/mold exposure indices can predict existence of excessive building-respiratory symptoms and diseases. Those findings justify action to correct water leaks and repair water damage in ordre to prevent them.

Clinical respiratory symptoms associated with indoor air pollution

In developed countries, allergens, gas cooking and tobacco smoking represent a majorrisk, whereas in many developing countries wood stoves and indoor fuel cooking are moreimportant.Building-related illnesses represent another problem. The effects of indoor pollution are getting worseby poor living conditions and poor ventilation.

Risk factors and environmental tobacco smoke

ETS has been recognized as a toxic agent in 1986 that could cause lung cancer, effect the pulmonary function, later on, other studies and surveys found association between ETS and asthma, with risk of coronary heart disease. This paper is a review of those different studies.

A case control study of the indoor environments of asthmatic children

For that study, 200 children in Manchester were recruited to assess their asthma status, their indoor environment was analyzed. Levels of a variety of indoor agents, reported as important factors in the development or the exacerbation of respiratory troubles were examined. Results are presented.

Residential exposure to volatile organic compounds and asthma

A literature review finds that observational studies have found a correlation between exposure to VOCs and asthma, whereas interventional studies did not manage to show it. This paper studies two hypothesis to explain that discrepancy in findings.

Measured IAQ in two new blocks of flats

Two similar blocks of flats have been built for people with respiratory diseases. The buildingshave a clean and effective ventilation system and low emitting building materials. Theventilation system is a centralized supply and exhaust air system, either based on demand(Building A) or user controlled (Building B). Total volatile organic compound (TVOC) levelsand concentrations of ammonia and formaldehyde were measured in one apartment on each ofthe six floors of both buildings before occupants moved in and after 3 and 7 months and afterone year of occupancy.

Prevalence of respiratory symptoms of the upper and lower airways in office block workers, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A sample of 269 workers, selected randomly from 1600 employees of a sealed 42-storeyoffice building of a major bank in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, responded to the standard RoyalSociety of Health Advisory Group questionnaire about Sick Building Syndrome.Upper airways respiratory symptoms occupied a prominent position, with a prevalence ofaround 40%, whereas the lower airways manifestations frequencies were below 20%.

A personal air purifier for schoolchildren

There are many schoolchildren who have a minor chemical sensitivity and cannot go toschool just because of the activities taken place such as arts & craft, waxing the floor or justopening the textbook. The solution for those children to go school is to protect them fromthose chemicals. However a renovation to make the whole classroom into a chemical freeroom is not a realistic solution for just one child not just because of its cost but also the effectto the other schoolchildren going in and out from chemical free room because of the risk ofrebound.

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