Background: Both air pollutants and neonatal jaundice (NJ) have known
effects on childhood asthma, but higher total serum bilirubin (TSB)
level was associated with lung protection. This study aimed to assess
whether prenatal/postnatal exposure to air ambient pollutants is related
to the inception of asthma in NJ infants. Material and methods: A nested
case-control retrospective study of NJ infants was performed on the
Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital Research Database between 2009 and
2019. The average concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur
dioxide (SO2), nitric dioxide (NO2) for six months, first and second
years after the birth, and first, second and third trimesters prenatally
were analyzed. The mild and significant NJ infants were categorized as
TSB level < and ≧12 mg/dl, respectively. Asthma was defined as
a diagnosis with medication. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95%
confidence interval (CI) present the relationship between study periods
and childhood asthma. Results: SO2 and NO2 exposure during prenatal
periods were significantly associated with increased risk of childhood
asthma in mild NJ infants (aOR (95% CI)), SO2: 1.20-1.34 (1.05-1.56);
NO2: 1.06-1.07 (1.01-1.13)). Effects were more pronounced in postnatal
exposure to three ambient air pollutants in mild jaundice infants. (aOR
(95% CI), SO2: 1.33-1.41 (1.14-1.69); NO2: 1.07-1.31 (1.01-1.49;
PM2.5:1.05 (1.00-1.10) Conclusion: Both SO2 and NO2 during prenatal and
postnatal exposure in mild NJ infants were associated with childhood
asthma. Whether taken phototherapy or not, significant NJ infants were
spared by three ambient air pollutants.