Long-term effects on health of air pollution in children.

A literature review is presented showing the role and relative importance of various endogenous and exogenous factors, classified into predisposing, provoking and facilitating factors, in the development of Chronic Non-Specific Respiratory Diseases (CNSRD) in children. The review is also based on the results of own clinical studies and a longitudinal epidemiological study. In total, 12,708 children were examined in the epidemiological study, including a cohort of 1,303 children examined three times. In the analysis of the frequency and the dynamics of respiratory symptoms, significant contribution of various factors was demonstrated, including history of obstructive bronchitis in the first year of life, frequency of respiratory infections in early childhood, passive tobacco smoking, socioeconomic conditions such as education of parents, day nursery and kindergarten attendance and living in an area with high levels of air pollution.