Association between air pollution and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in Chinese children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic inflammatory disease with bothersome symptoms. However, the effect of air pollution on the prevalence of AR in children is controversial. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between air pollution and the prevalence of AR in Chinese children. Methods: This study, in China, included 160,356 students ages 0-18 years who completed a questionnaire about the accuracy of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). The effect of different air pollutants on the prevalence rate were evaluated by meta-analysis. Also, it evaluated the effect of different air pollutants on the prevalence rate.Results: The differences in the effects of sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure (combined odds ratio [ORcombined1 1.03 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.01-1.051; p = 0.010) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure (ORcombined 1.11 [95% CI, 1.05-1.181; p = 0.0006) on the risk of childhood AR was statistically significant. The effect of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of < 10 mu m (PM10) exposure on the risk of childhood AR was statistically significant (ORcombined 1.02 [95% CI, 1.01- 1.031; p < 0.001), the effect of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of < 2.5 mu m (PM2.5) exposure on the risk of childhood AR was statistically significant (ORcombined 1.15 [95% CI, 1.03-1.291; p = 0.02), and the effect of ozone exposure on the risk of childhood AR was not statistically significant (ORcombined 0.98 [95% CI, 0.67-1.411; p = 0.13). Conclusion: NO2, SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 were associated with the prevalence of AR in Chinese children. PM2.5 had the highest correlation with AR prevalence.