Pollutionwatch: Research reveals the impact of indoor pollution on people with COPD

A study has revealed how air pollution inside and outside our homes affects people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Breathing problems, wheezing and coughing up phlegm are part of everyday life for many people with COPD. They also suffer from exacerbations when their symptoms become much worse. COPD is the second largest cause of emergency admissions to hospitals in Great Britain. It is responsible for approximately 1.4 million GP visits and almost 29,000 deaths per year.

Prof. Ben Barratt from Imperial College London, who led the study, said: “A strong body of evidence shows that worsening outdoor air pollution is linked to increased exacerbations in people with COPD. However, very little was known about the role of air pollution in homes, where COPD patients spend most of their time. We had new technology to answer that question.”

Seventy-six people with COPD were given a device to measure the air pollution around them. This looked like a small bird nest box with a faux leather case that could be worn as a shoulder bag.

The team found that nitrogen dioxide concentration was associated with the risk of an exacerbation. The risk of an exacerbation increased by more than 60% between the cleanest quarter of the day and the most polluted quarter. It also affected coughing, wheezing and phlegm.

Sources of outdoor nitrogen dioxide included fossil gas boilers and traffic, especially diesel vehicles. Here’s some good news. New vehicles sold today produce far less nitrogen dioxide than the vehicles they replace, and schemes such as London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone has accelerated the improvement. Electric vehicles emit no emissions at all.

But it was the indoor sources that had the greatest impact on people with COPD. This was mainly fossil gas used for cooking.

Professor Alastair Lewis from the University of York said: “Burning hydrogen in your cooker will cause the same household pollution as using fossil gas, so an electric hob is certainly better, and electric is probably better for the climate too.”

This contributes to evidence from a review more than 10 years ago, 41 studies were considered and concluded that cooking with gas increased the risk of asthma in children.

Barratt said: “Take simple steps such as ventilating your kitchen when cooking, not using candles and subscribing to air pollution alerts. If possible, choose an electric stove over a gas stove. Consider these actions as a form of medication to prevent deterioration of health.”