A randomized double-blind crossove ... | Article | H1 Connect

Air pollution is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, particularly in individuals with existing lung disease. As the Environmental Protection Agency does not regulate the indoor environment, interventions to mitigate exposure to indoor particulate matter (PM) are less well studied. In this study, in which air cleaners were run for 1 week in 20 homes on the First Nations reserve in Canada, the authors found that concentrations of indoor PM less than 2.5μg in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) were significantly decreased, a reduction that was associated with a 217ml increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second in 37 healthy individuals living in the homes. This study, together with {1,2}, highlights the potential for indoor air modification to reduce total PM exposure; whether the improvement in indoor air quality can lead to improvements in lung function is yet to be determined. This Recommendation is of an article referenced in an F1000 Faculty Review also written by Nadia Hansel and Laura Paulin.