Physical activity, black carbon exposure, and DNA methylation in the FOXP3 promoter

Clinical Epigenetics

Table 1 Participant characteristics for the n = 135 children included in this study

	Non-active (n = 58)	Active (n = 77)	p value^a
Age in years, median (range)	12.7 (10.5–14.0)	12.2 (9.2–14.0)	<0.01
Males, n (%)	32 (55%)	35 (45%)	0.26
Race/ethnicity, n (%) Hispanic African American	42 (72%) 16 (28%)	46 (60%) 31 (40%)	0.13
Asthma^b, n (%)	30 (52%)	45 (58%)	0.44
FVC % predicted, mean (SD)	85% (12.1)	86% (10.5)	0.92
FEV₁ % predicted, mean (SD)	84% (13.0)	85% (11.6)	0.72
FEV₁/FVC % predicted, mean (SD)	87% (7.5)	87% (5.3)	0.52
FEF_25–75% % predicted, mean (SD)	83% (24.2)	86% (21.7)	0.36
Total IgE ≥80 IU/mL	31 (53%)	38 (49%)	0.64
BMI ≥85th percentile, n (%)	31 (53%)	39 (51%)	0.75
Secondhand smoke^c, n (%)	3 (5%)	14 (18%)	0.04
Heating season^d, n (%)	25 (43%)	44 (57%)	0.11
Black carbon, GM (SD)	1070 (1.69)	1190 (1.78)	0.25
High BC^e, n (%)	26 (45%)	37 (48%)	0.71

FVC forced vital capacity, FVE ₁ forced expiratory volume in 1 s, FEF _25–75% forced expiratory flow at 25–75%, IgE Immunoglobulin E, BMI body mass index, BC black carbon
^aChi-square test for categorical variables and t test for continuous variables (age and black carbon)
^bDetermined by a physician at age 5–12 years using a priori standardized criteria
^cDetermined by responding yes to the question “In the last 2 weeks have you been exposed to tobacco smoke in the home.” missing n = 1 from the active group
^dObservation period took place during NYC’s cold weather heating season (October to April)
^eDichotomized at the median, 1210 ng/m³
Italicised values in the final column represent a p-value < 0.05

ISSN: 1868-7083