Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39586518›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental research2025

Association of environmental pollutants with asthma and allergy, and the mediating role of oxidative stress and immune markers in adolescents.

Hamid Y Hassen, Eva Govarts, Sylvie Remy, Bianca Cox, Nina Iszatt, Lützen Portengen, Adrian Covaci, Greet Schoeters, Elly Den Hond, Stefaan De Henauw and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Size-Resolved PMToxics · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Hamid Y HassenEnvironmental Intelligence Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: Hamid.hassen@vito.be.
Eva GovartsEnvironmental Intelligence Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.
Sylvie RemyEnvironmental Intelligence Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.
Bianca CoxEnvironmental Intelligence Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.
Nina IszattDivision of Climate and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Centre for Sustainable Diets, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Lützen PortengenInstitute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Adrian CovaciToxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Greet SchoetersToxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Elly Den HondProvincial Institute of Hygiene (PIH), Kronenburgstraa 45, 2000, Antwerpen, Belgium; Family Medicine and Population health, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Stefaan De HenauwDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent university, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Liesbeth BruckersBioStat, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium.
Gudrun KoppenEnvironmental Intelligence Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.
Veerle J VerheyenEnvironmental Intelligence Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAsthma and allergic diseases are among the common causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Various environmental pollutants are linked to the development of asthma and allergic diseases. Evidence on the role of oxidative stress and immune markers in the association of environmental pollutants with asthma and allergy is scant. We examined cross-sectional associations between environmental pollutants and asthma and allergy, investigated mixture effects and possible mediation by oxidative stress or immune markers.

methodsWe used data from the Flemish Environment and Health Study 2016-2020 (FLEHS IV), including 409 adolescents aged 13-16 years. Fifty-four pollutants, including metals, phthalates, Di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), bisphenols, currently used and legacy pesticides, flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed. Outcomes were self-reported asthma, rhinitis, eczema, allergies, respiratory infection, and airway inflammation, measured through fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Single pollutant models using multiple regression analysis and multipollutant models using Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) were fitted. As sensitivity analysis, Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and elastic net (ENET) models were also performed. For Bayesian models, posterior inclusion probabilities (PIP) were used to identify the most important chemicals. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the role of oxidative stress, measured by urinary 8-hydroxy-2' -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and immune markers (eosinophils, basophils, InterLeukin 8, InterLeukin 6, and Interferon-ᵧ in blood).

resultsIn single pollutant models, FeNO was significantly higher by 20% (95% CI: 6, 36%) and 13% (95% CI: 2, 25%) per interquartile range (IQR) fold in mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) and mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), respectively. In BKMR analysis, the group PIPs indicated phthalates and DINCH as the most important group (group PIP = 0.509), with MnBP being the most important pollutant within that group (conditional PIP = 0.564; %change = 28%; 95%CI: 6, 54%). Similar patterns were observed in all multipollutant models. Eosinophil count mediated 37.8% (p = 0.018) and 27.9% (p = 0.045) of the association between MBzP and FeNO, and the association between MnBP and FeNO, respectively. 8-OHdG plays a significant mediating role in the association of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (55.4%), 3,5,6-Trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY) (48.1%), and 1-Naphthylamine (1-NAP) (32.7%) with rhinitis, while the total effects of these chemicals on rhinitis were not statistically significant.

conclusionsThis study found associations between phthalates, MnBP and MBzP, and elevated FeNO, which appeared to be mediated by eosinophil count. 8-OHdG plays a significant mediating role in the association between 2,4-D, TCPY, and 1-NAP with rhinitis, while their direct effects remain non-significant. Use of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers can enhance the understanding of inflammatory processes in asthma and allergic diseases due to environmental pollutants.

Indexed as

AsthmaBiomarkersEnvironmental PollutantsHypersensitivityOxidative StressAdolescentBelgiumCross-Sectional StudiesEnvironmental ExposureFemaleHumansMaleBiomarkersEnvironmental PollutantsAdolescentsAirway inflammationAllergyAsthmaHuman biomonitoringImmune biomarkersMixtureOxidative stress

Identifiers

PMID39586518
PMCPMC11672208

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.