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We aimed to examine how chronic biomass smoke exposure affects prevalence of different respiratory symptoms, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung function decrement; and how these changes in pulmonary health are related to pollutant levels inside the kitchen. We also investigated if these changes are associated with presence of hypertension. Two hundred and forty-four women using biomass fuel (median age 34 year) and 236 age-matched control women who cooked with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were enrolled for this purpose. Questionnaire survey was used for respiratory symptom prevalence, spirometry for lung function assessment, and laser photometer for particulate matter <10 and 2.5 μm in diameter (PM and PM, respectively) in cooking areas. Biomass users had higher prevalence of upper and lower ( p < 0.05) respiratory symptoms, poorer lung function (64.3 vs. 26.3 % in control, p < 0.05), and higher prevalence of COPD (6.6 vs. 1.7 % in control, p < 0.05) and hypertension (29.5 vs. 11.0 % in control, p < 0.05). Significant positive association between exposure variables and respiratory symptoms, lung function measurements, COPD prevalence, and hypertension were noticed, after adjusting for potential confounders. The findings suggest involvement of biomass smoke in deterioration of health status of the biomass-using rural women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to compare the cardiovascular risk in biomass-using women with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A total of 22 biomass-using married women with COPD and 24 matched controls with normal lung function were enrolled for this purpose. Platelet P-selectin (P-sel) expression and platelet-leukocyte aggregation were determined using flow cytometry. Platelet aggregation by collagen was measured by aggregometer. Soluble P-selectin (sP-sel), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-8, -6, -10 (IL-8, IL-6, IL-10), neutrophil-activating protein-2 (NAP-2), C-reactive protein (CRP), oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) in plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by leukocytes was measured by flow cytometry, and erythrocyte content of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was measured by spectrophotometry. Particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM) in indoor air was measured by real-time aerosol monitor. Compared with control, biomass users with COPD had increased expression of platelet P-selectin, elevated levels of sP-sel, oxLDL, TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6, NAP-2, CRP, lowered IL-10 and more circulating platelet-neutrophil ( p < 0.0001) and platelet-monocyte ( p < 0.0001) aggregates. ROS generation was increased by 19.5% while SOD was depleted by 32% in women with COPD. Biomass smoke-induced COPD is associated with excess cardiovascular risk via oxidative stress, platelet activation, and inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]