The effect of domestic factors on respiratory symptoms and FEV.

Describes a study conducted to determine whether indoor air pollution factors affected respiratory function and symptoms in 1357 non-smoking Caucasian children. The authors conducted interviews to find out about: exposure to pets and to gases, vapours and dusts from hobbies; the use of gas stoves; fireplaces, air conditioners and humidifiers; type of heating systems; and the number of residents, the number of smokers in the home. The forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV) was obtained from maximum expiratory flow volume curves, and symptoms from the application of a standardized questionnaire. The presence in homes of hot water heating systems effected lung function the most, and presence of tobacco smoke the least.