Air Pollutants and Health Signs and Symptoms

Air Pollutants and Health Signs and Symptoms

From: Diagnostic Quick Reference
Co-sponsored by: The American Lung Association (ALA),
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and
The American Medical Association (AMA)
U.S. Gov't Printing Office Publication No. 1994-523-217/81322 1994

Signs and Symptoms	Environmental Tobacco Smoke	Other Combustion Products	Biological Pollutants	Volatile Organics	Heavy Metals	Sick Building Syndrome
RESPIRATORY
Rhinitis, nasal congestion	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES
Epistaxis	NO	NO	NO	YES¹	NO	NO
Pharyngitis, cough	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES
Wheezing, worsening asthma	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO	YES
Dyspnea	YES²	NO	YES	NO	NO	YES
Severe lung disease	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	YES³
OTHER
Conjunctival irritation	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES
Headache or dizziness	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Lethargy, fatigue, malaise	NO	YES⁴	YES⁵	YES	YES	YES
Nausea, vomiting, anorexia	NO	YES⁴	YES	YES	YES	NO
Cognitive impairment, personality change	NO	YES⁴	NO	YES	YES	YES
Rashes	NO	NO	YES	YES	YES	NO
Fever, chills	NO	NO	YES⁶	NO	YES	NO
Tachycardia	NO	YES⁴	NO	NO	YES	NO
Retinal hemorrhage	NO	YES⁴	NO	NO	NO	NO
Myalgia	NO	NO	NO	YES⁵	NO	YES
Hearing loss	NO	NO	NO	YES	NO	NO

Associated especially with formaldehyde.
In asthma.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, Legionnaires' Disease.
Particularly associated with high CO levels.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, humidifier fever.
With marked hypersensitivity reactions and Legionnaires' Disease.

Particular Effects Seen in Infants and Children

Environmental Tobacco Smoke: frequent upper respiratory infections, otitis media; persistent middle-ear effusion; asthma onset, increased severity; recurrent pneumonia, bronchitis.

Acute Lead Toxicity: irritability, abdominal pain, ataxia, seizures, loss of consciousness.

Indoor Air Quality and Pollution

Particular Effects Seen in Infants and Children