Early-Life Ozone Exposure Linked to Asthma, Wheeze at 4 to 6 Years Old
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, April 3, 2025 -- Early-life ozone (O3) exposure is associated with asthma and wheeze outcomes at 4 to 6 years of age, according to a study published online April 2 in JAMA Network Open.
Logan C. Dearborn, M.P.H., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues examined the associations between ambient O3 and subsequent asthma and wheeze outcomes -- independently and in mixture with fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide -- in a pooled multisite analysis across six U.S. cities.
The analytic sample included 1,188 participants. The mean O3 concentration was 26.1 parts per billion (ppb) in the first two years of life. The researchers found that 148 children had current asthma and 190 had current wheeze (12.3 and 15.8 percent, respectively) at age 4 to 6 years. Per 2 ppb higher O3 concentration, the odds ratios were 1.31 and 1.30 for current asthma and current wheeze, respectively, at age 4 to 6 years; for outcomes at 8 to 9 years and for sensitivity covariate adjustment, the associations were null. Higher exposure to O3 in mixture was associated with current asthma and wheeze in early childhood in Bayesian kernel machine regression.
"This analysis underscores the importance of better understanding the role of early-life exposure to ambient O3 in addressing risk factors for pediatric asthma in the U.S.," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted April 2025
Read this next
Antibiotic Exposure Before Age 2 May Increase Risk for Chronic Pediatric Conditions
WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 -- Children receiving multiple antibiotic courses between birth and age 2 years may have a higher risk for some chronic conditions, according to a study...
School-Based Asthma Therapy Boosts Asthma Control, Cuts Acute Health Care Use
THURSDAY, April 24, 2025 -- School-based asthma therapy (SBAT) can help improve children’s asthma control and decrease acute health care utilization, according to a study...
Midafternoon Dosing Improves Lung Function in Atopic Asthma
FRIDAY, April 18, 2025 -- Midafternoon dosing with beclomethasone dipropionate is associated with better clinical outcomes in mild-to-moderate atopic asthma, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.