Randomised Exposure Study of Pollution Indoors and Respiratory Effects

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Respiratory Tract Infections; Pneumonia
• Interventions: Device: Plancha

• Registration Number: NCT01047696
• Lead Sponsor: University of California, Berkeley

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to determine whether reduced exposure to indoor air pollution would reduce ALRI incidence in children \<18 months of age. Households were randomized to receive a chimney stove (intervention group) or continue using an open fire for cooking and heating (control group).

Detailed Description

Acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) are the chief killer of children. Most cases are pneumonia and the majority occur among poor children under five years in developing countries. Poverty might be said to be the primary cause, which manifests as malnutrition, including micro-nutrient deficiencies, and lack of access to medical care. Another attribute of poverty is household indoor air pollution (HAP) from use of unprocessed solid fuels such as biomass (wood, animal dung and crop wastes) and coal in simple stoves. A meta-analysis of published observational studies found that young children exposed to smoke from household solid fuel use had a rate of ALRI twice that of children not exposed or where clean fuels were used. Recent studies have shown similar ALRI risks associated with short-term air pollution measurements and other indicators of exposure.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2002-10
• Primary Completion: 2004-12
• Study Completion: 2005-03
• Status Verified: 2009-08
• Study First Submitted: 2010-01-12
• Study First Submitted QC: 2010-01-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2010-01-12
• Study First Posted: 2010-01-13
• Last Update Posted: 2010-01-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 537

Inclusion Criteria

Households were invited to participate in the study if they met the following inclusion criteria:

• Used only an open fire for cooking and heating
• Had a pregnant woman or child < 4 months residing in the home
• Identified as Mam (the regional ethnic group), and had
• Minimal summer migration (less than 12 weeks per year)

Exclusion Criteria

Households were excluded from participating if:

• The household was already using a chimney stove for cooking
• There was no child <4 months of age or a pregnant woman residing in the home
• Seasonal migration required the family to move to another region for more than 12 weeks of the year

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Chimney stove	Plancha	Households randomized to receive a chimney stove (plancha) for cooking and heating

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The primary outcome measure was physician-diagnosed pneumonia in children	Through 18 months of age

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Severe (hypoxaemic) and RSV pneumonia	Through 18 months of age