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CNN Live At Daybreak
New Medical Study Raises New Concern About Swimming Pools
Aired July 10, 2003 - 06:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the summer heat is on and the kids are headed to the swimming pools, right? Well, a new medical study raises a new concern about swimming pools that may surprise you. Apparently the chlorine disinfectant may trigger asthma.
Dr. Sandra Fryhofer is here with more.
And this is too depressing for something that we all love to take enjoyment in.
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, not, don't go so far to say that quite yet. But this study, this is a British study and it was highlighted in this week's "Journal of the American Medical Association." And it links asthma to inhalation of byproducts from the chlorine used to disinfectant indoor swimming pools.
Now, the researchers in this study measured blood levels of special lung proteins in 226 elementary school aged children. Now, the presence of these lung proteins in the bloodstream supposedly indicates lung damage. The researchers found a significant and consistent association between swimming regularly at indoor pools and the level of these lung proteins.
The findings suggest that kids who regularly used indoor swimming pools are more likely to have lung damage. They even compared the lung damage in the most frequent swimmers to that of regular smokers.
WHITFIELD: What? Oh.
FRYHOFER: They also found a link between chest tightness after exercise and time spent around these indoor pools.
WHITFIELD: Well, this is alarming to me because I'm a swimmer and I don't like what I'm hearing.
So why do they think this happens?
FRYHOFER: Well, Fredricka, what happens is when chlorine comes into contact with organic matter like urine or sweat, these chlorine byproducts are formed. And these byproducts actually cause the lining of the respiratory tract to become leaky and therefore more vulnerable to other allergy triggers that can cause asthma. Asthma is the most common cause of hospitalization in childhood and is responsible for one third of all pediatric visits to emergency rooms.
There's been a surge in pediatric asthma over the last 30 years, not just here in the United States, but in other developed countries, as well, and these researchers wonder if exposure to these chlorine byproducts could be to blame.
Of course, more studies are needed to verify this association and remember that this study only looked at indoor pools. So, again, we need more studies in order to verify this. But it is something to think about.
WHITFIELD: All right, a lot to think about.
OK, thanks very much.
But you say don't get too alarmed.
FRYHOFER: And if you're alarmed, you can always use bromine to disinfectant your pool. It's more expensive.
WHITFIELD: Oh, all right, that's always good to know.
All right, thanks, Sandy.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 10, 2003 - 06:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the summer heat is on and the kids are headed to the swimming pools, right? Well, a new medical study raises a new concern about swimming pools that may surprise you. Apparently the chlorine disinfectant may trigger asthma.
Dr. Sandra Fryhofer is here with more.
And this is too depressing for something that we all love to take enjoyment in.
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, not, don't go so far to say that quite yet. But this study, this is a British study and it was highlighted in this week's "Journal of the American Medical Association." And it links asthma to inhalation of byproducts from the chlorine used to disinfectant indoor swimming pools.
Now, the researchers in this study measured blood levels of special lung proteins in 226 elementary school aged children. Now, the presence of these lung proteins in the bloodstream supposedly indicates lung damage. The researchers found a significant and consistent association between swimming regularly at indoor pools and the level of these lung proteins.
The findings suggest that kids who regularly used indoor swimming pools are more likely to have lung damage. They even compared the lung damage in the most frequent swimmers to that of regular smokers.
WHITFIELD: What? Oh.
FRYHOFER: They also found a link between chest tightness after exercise and time spent around these indoor pools.
WHITFIELD: Well, this is alarming to me because I'm a swimmer and I don't like what I'm hearing.
So why do they think this happens?
FRYHOFER: Well, Fredricka, what happens is when chlorine comes into contact with organic matter like urine or sweat, these chlorine byproducts are formed. And these byproducts actually cause the lining of the respiratory tract to become leaky and therefore more vulnerable to other allergy triggers that can cause asthma. Asthma is the most common cause of hospitalization in childhood and is responsible for one third of all pediatric visits to emergency rooms.
There's been a surge in pediatric asthma over the last 30 years, not just here in the United States, but in other developed countries, as well, and these researchers wonder if exposure to these chlorine byproducts could be to blame.
Of course, more studies are needed to verify this association and remember that this study only looked at indoor pools. So, again, we need more studies in order to verify this. But it is something to think about.
WHITFIELD: All right, a lot to think about.
OK, thanks very much.
But you say don't get too alarmed.
FRYHOFER: And if you're alarmed, you can always use bromine to disinfectant your pool. It's more expensive.
WHITFIELD: Oh, all right, that's always good to know.
All right, thanks, Sandy.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
