Clinical trial NCT02277002: Commuter Air Pollution Intervention Study
Official title: Reducing Commuter Air Pollutant Exposure by Cabin Air Filtration
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cognitive Function
Cardiopulmonary Function
Saliva Stress Hormones
Air Pollution Exposure
Lung Inflammation
Keywords: Cabin Air Filtration
Particulate Matter
Commuter Exposure
Traffic Related Air Pollution
Lead sponsor: Health Canada
Sponsor class: OTHER_GOV
First posted: 2014-10-28
Enrollment: 48
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 65
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Traffic related air pollution is a well-recognised and much studied contributor to smog and is linked to a number of adverse health outcomes. Although traffic pollutants can travel long distances, exposure to the highest levels of the raw emissions can occur closest to the source; e.g. in a car in dense traffic conditions. Time spent in-vehicle may contribute up to half of commuters' daily exposure to certain air pollutants. Most new cars now have or allow for a cabin air filter, but it is not known how well cabin air filtration can reduce exposure to traffic-related air pollution.

This intervention study will measure commuters' exposure to air pollutants in rush hour traffic. It will evaluate the impact of this exposure on stress hormones in saliva, and short term cardiopulmonary health indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate variability and respiratory inflammation. It will also look at effects on cognition (mental processing and judgement) in this real world environment where any deficit could be important to safety. In addition, the study will examine whether cabin air filtration can reduce the exposure to traffic related air pollutants and result in improvements in short term cardiopulmonary and cognitive function. This research will contribute to our understanding of how this environment contributes to Canadians' overall air pollution exposure as well as the potential health impacts. It will also test a potentially valuable and economical means of reducing exposure to traffic related air pollution in a commuting environment. The study may also guide the future implementation of the use of cabin filters as an exposure reduction intervention.

Overall Project Objectives:

Can cabin air filtration effectively reduce exposure to traffic related air pollution? Does commuter exposure to air pollution affect short term stress, and cardiopulmonary and cognitive function? Can cabin air filtration mitigate the health effects of commuters' exposure to air pollution?


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy Individuals;
* non-smoking.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Smokers;
* living in a smoking household;
* currently experiencing seasonal allergies;
* suffering from heart rhythm problems or heart conditions;
* regularly taking corticosteroid medication;
* pregnant or breastfeeding;
* allergic to latex;
* sensitivity to adhesives

Primary outcomes:
measure: Variation in cardiopulmonary function
timeFrame: 5 hours
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Changes in neuropsychological Function
timeFrame: 5 hours
measure: Changes in endothelial function
timeFrame: 5 hours
measure: Changes in levels of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis
timeFrame: 5 hours
measure: Fraction of Exhaled Nitric Oxyde
timeFrame: 5 hours
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Montreal
country: Canada
facility: Guy-Favreau Complex
state: Quebec
Study officials:
affiliation: Health Canada
name: Gary Mallach
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: