What we breathe impacts our health

Giovedì 8 novembre 2018, ore 18.00
Aula Magna, Scuola Superiore di Catania
Villa San Saverio, via Valdisavoia 9

Relatore: Tong Zhu
Dean of College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering,
Director of the Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China

Modera: Salvatore Sortino
Coordinatore della Classe delle Scienze Sperimentali
Scuola Superiore di Catania
 

ABSTRACT: Air pollution is known to be a major risk factor for various diseases. Given the severe air pollution in China, it is important to know if subjects with cardiometabolic dysfunctions (pre diabetes) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more susceptible to air pollution than health one, and whether air pollution exacerbates these diseases development via certain biological pathways. With case-control panel studies (SCOPE and COPDB), we recruited cases and healthy elderly subjects in Beijing, China. Each subject has undergone 4-6 times repeated clinical visits. Samples of exhaled air, exhaled breath condensation, blood, and urine were collected for biomarker measurements to reveal the impact on multiple biological pathways, including inflammation, endothelial function, glycolipid metabolism, and insulin resistance. Gaseous air pollutants along with detailed chemical components and size distribution of particulate matter were continuously measured before and during each visits. Linear mixed-effect model was fitted to estimate the association. Results shows susceptibility of pre-diabetic and COPD individuals to air pollution exposure compared to healthy controls in biomarkers of blood pressure, endothelial function and systemic inflammation. 

​Per informazioni: ssc@unict.it