GEORGIAAir Quality

Summit

Every Breath You Take:Health and Air

Program:Georgia’s Air Pollution: Are the HealthRisks important?--- W. Gerald Teague, MD

The Atlanta Aerosol--- Rodney Weber, PhD

Traffic-Related Airway Inflammation in Asthma--- Fernando Holguin, MD

The Oxidizing Effects of Inhaled Particles--- Roby Greenwald, PhD

Interactive Discussion with Speakers

GEORGIAAir Quality

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Georgia’s Air Pollution:Are the Health Risks Important?

GEORGIAAir Quality

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W. Gerald Teague, MD

Southeast Pediatric Environmental HealthSpecialty Unit at Emory University

GEORGIAAir Quality

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case presentation

• KB is a 10 y/o with life-long severe asthma, dependent on oral corticosteroids for several years.

• Two days before presentation he had a cold and complained of chest tightness, cough, and increased wheeze.

• He saw his doctor who increased his asthma medication.

• Two days later, while waiting in line to board the school bus, KB became cyanotic, and collapsed.

In Memory of:

Kellen

February 9, 1990 - January 11, 2000

“Not One More Life”

GEORGIAAir Quality

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Ozone Exposure and Asthma: Summer in Atlanta

GEORGIAAir Quality

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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Medicaid* Kaiser HMO Pediatric ER's* Hospital Admissions

Ozone < 60 Ozone 60-89 Ozone > 90

Ave

rag

e N

um

ber

of

Ast

hm

a

Vis

its

Per

Day

Friedman et al, JAMA 2001; 285:897

So lets have an Olympics and take MARTA instead!

GEORGIAAir Quality

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0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

1600000

1800000

Weekdays Weekends Total

Baseline Period Olympic Period

Friedman et al, JAMA 2001; 285:897

Trips per day

Pre-Olympics (baseline period)

Olympic Period

Post-Olympics (baseline period)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Ozone PM10 CO NO2 SO2

% o

f E

PA

Air

Qua

lity

Sta

ndar

dAtlanta’s Air Gets the Gold during the 1996 Olympic Games

GEORGIAAir Quality

SummitFriedman et al, JAMA 2001; 285:897

GEORGIAAir Quality

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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Medicaid Claims* Kaiser HMO Pediatric ER's Hospital Admissions

Baseline Period Olympic Period

Mea

n D

aily

Nu

mb

er o

f E

ven

ts

Friedman et al, JAMA 2001; 285:897

City-wide Reduction in Asthma Morbidityduring the 1996 Olympics

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110

same-day 1 hr max ozone (ppb)

po

st-

ex

erc

ise

bre

ath

pH

Distance

Sprinter

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

PM2.5 at 5pm ug/m3

po

st-

ex

erc

ise

bre

ath

pH

Distance

Sprinter

Airway Acidification in Athletes Training Outdoors in Conyers

GEORGIAAir Quality

SummitFerdinand et al, Proc Respir Crit Care Med; 2006

Old and Young

Young children whose lungs are developing, and seniors and people with chronic disorders of the lungs

and heart are more sensitive.

SensitiveIndividuals

Individuals with asthma, chronic bronchitis,

emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and known cardiac conditions

should take extra precautions during air pollution episodes.

Healthy People

Everyone who works outside or engages in vigorous outdoor exercise for prolonged periods during smog episodes is at increased risk of

experiencing adverse health effects caused by smog.

Dose = (Pollutant Concentration) X (Breathing Rate) X (Time Engaged in Activity)

Increasing Number

Of People Affected

IncreasingSusceptibility

Who Is At Greatest Risk?

Georgia’s Air Pollution is an ImportantHealth Risk:

• diminished lung growth in high ozone regions

• exacerbations of lung disease

• increased heart attacks and stroke

GEORGIAAir Quality

Summit