Effects of air Pollution in COPD assessed by mucociliary clearance and inflammatory markers

Abstract

The air pollution issue is addressed for a long time, because it causes harmful effects to human health. Among the emission sources of pollutants are the burning of cane sugar, which releases into the atmosphere large amounts of particulate matter (PM), so millions of people are exposed, including individuals with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which are most vulnerable. The inhaled particles are cleared by the mucociliary apparatus, which is the first line of defense of the respiratory system to malfunction and predisposes the individual to increased risk of respiratory infections. In addition, MP may lead to increased production of inflammatory markers, a condition that is already present in individuals with COPD in stable phase and even more pronounced in exacerbations. Thus individuals with COPD may have worsening of mucociliary transport and increased inflammatory mediators in periods of higher air pollution. The main objective of this study is to analyze the influence of air pollution on mucociliary transportability, inflammatory mediators, pulmonary function and quality of life for individuals with COPD as a secondary objective to compare the influence of exposure to air pollution in the long term in patients with COPD did not treated and physiotherapy Individuals will be divided into three groups: the exposed control (healthy elderly exposed to air pollution), the exposed treatment (elderly with COPD who perform physical therapy exposed to air pollution) and the exposed untreated (elderly COPD who do not perform physical therapy exposed to air pollution). Individuals will be evaluated in five periods of the year: in March (off season), May, July, September and November (late harvest). The evaluation methods are: determination and quantification of toxic metals in the particulate material, evaluation of lung function test of the saccharine transit time (TST), analysis of inflammatory markers in peripheral blood by ELISA, questionnaire overall quality of life (SF -36), quality of life questionnaire specific (CRQ) and the questionnaire for investigation of respiratory diseases.