Asthma Linked to Congested Highways:
Jun 26, 2012
Those Living Near Heavily Traveled Interstate Have Higher Rates of Disease
Researchers at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and Lutheran Medical Center
in Brooklyn, New York, found that living near a heavily congested highway correlates
with a higher presence of asthma.
In a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the researchers
found higher rates of asthma among those living closer to Interstate 278, near a portion
known locally as the Gowanus Expressway, and lower rates of disease in those living
in the same community but farther from the Interstate.
SUNY Downstate’s Maria-Anna Vastardi, MD, said, “Our participants were randomly recruited
and we observed that the patients who reported asthma live significantly closer to
the Gowanus Expressway, compared to the healthy controls who live in the same area,
but at a longer distance from the Gowanus.”
The findings indicate that proximity to a heavily trafficked highway correlates with
the presence of asthma in adults, but not with seasonal allergy, according to Dr.
Vastardi. The results suggest that vehicle emissions may increase the risk for developing
inflammatory lung disease in adults.
The study involved 62 adults recruited from the outpatient department of Lutheran
Medical Center, including 45 patients with rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma and 17 healthy
controls.
Dr. Vastardi gave an oral presentation of her findings at the 2012 Annual Meeting
of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Orlando, Florida. Dr.
Vastardi is a first-year fellow in Downstate’s Division of Allergy and Immunology.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.