We have therefore used data from an existing population-based cohort of adults to compute markers of exposure to traffic-related pollution and investigate their relation with objective measures of respiratory and allergic disease, namely bronchial hyperresponsiveness, FEV1, spirometry-defined COPD, skin test positivity and total IgE, as well as questionnaire reported wheeze, asthma, eczema and hayfever. The gene discussed is IGHE; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.