Relationship of indoor particulate matter and lung function in children from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Background. There is a dearth of information on the relationship between indoor air pollution and lung function, especially amongsub-Saharan African children.Objective. To assess the relationship between indoor particulate matter (PM) and lung function in children living in the Eastern CapeProvince of South Africa (SA).Methods. This cross-sectional study included 540 children aged 10 - 14 years and was conducted between May and September 2016. PMfrom 23 classrooms was measured with a handheld particle counter and lung function was assessed with a handheld spirometer.Results. Mean (standard deviation) PM5 levels were higher (109.96 (75.39) μg/m3) than PM10 (84.84 (63.28) μg/m3) and PM2.5 (39.45(26.38) μg/m3). PM2.5, PM5 and PM10 correlated negatively (p<0.05) with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity(FVC), FEV25-75, as well as peak expiratory flow (PEF) but correlated positively (p<0.001) with the FEV1/FVC ratio.Conclusion. PM in classrooms showed a negative relationship with lung function in the study population.