Non-randomized trial demonstrates air filtration systems improve cardiovascular health in boys exposed to air pollution, suggesting a vital public health intervention.
Air pollution is a public health crisis worldwide, significantly affecting low‐ and middle‐income countries. This study evaluated the physiological impact of hazardous‐category air pollution and the role of portable air filtration systems (AFS) on cardiovascular and inflammatory health of pediatric subjects during peakpollution season. In this non‐randomized, controlled study conducted at a boys' orphanage in North India, 32 boys were subjected to the use of AFS (only during sleep time) for a 2‐week period. Measurements included blood pressure, pulse rate, C‐Reactive Protein, 8‐oxo‐deoxyguanosine levels, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) at three points: baseline, 2 weeks post‐AFS installation, and 2 weeks after sham filtration (high‐efficiency‐filters removed). Mean age was 12.94 ± 2.6 years. Baseline PM2.5 levels were 484 ± 26.8 μg/m 3 , which improved significantly to 125.25 ± 16.6 μg/m 3 with AFS use ( p < 0.001). Blood pressure (both systolic as well as diastolic) and pulse wave velocity showed statistically significant improvements after AFS use, with inflammatory and DNA damage biomarkers also reducing markedly ( p < 0.05). After shifting from true AFS to sham AFS, the blood pressures, pulse wave velocity, CRP levels, and 8‐oxo‐deoxyguanosine levels reached back to the baseline ( p < 0.05). The study highlights the potential of portable AFS to improve air quality and reduce cardiovascular impact on boys exposed to hazardous air pollution.
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Arya et al. (2025) studied this question.
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