Acute effects of air pollution on pediatric asthma exacerbation: Evidence of association and effect modification

Citation:

Samoli, E., Nastos, P.T., Paliatsos, A.G., Katsouyanni, K. & Priftis, K.N. Acute effects of air pollution on pediatric asthma exacerbation: Evidence of association and effect modification. Environmental Research 111, 418 - 424 (2011). Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/y3e3n35m

Abstract:

We investigated the short-term effects of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <10γg/m3 (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) on pediatric asthma emergency admissions in Athens, Greece over the period 2001-2004. We explored effect modification patterns by season, sex, age and by the presence of desert dust transported mainly from the Sahara area.We used daily time-series data provided by the children's hospitals and the fixed monitoring stations. The associations were investigated using Poisson regression models controlling for seasonality, weather, influenza episodes, day of the week and holiday effects.A 10γg/m3 increase in PM10 was associated with a 2.54% increase (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.06%, 5.08%) in the number of pediatric asthma hospital admissions, while the same increase in SO2 was associated with a 5.98% (95% CI: 0.88%, 11.33%) increase. O3 was associated with a statistically significant increase in asthma admissions among older children in the summer. Our findings provide limited evidence of an association between NO2 exposure and asthma exacerbation. Statistically significant PM10 effects were higher during winter and during desert dust days, while SO2 effects occurred mainly during spring.Our study confirms previously reported PM10 effects on emergency hospital admissions for pediatric asthma and further provides evidence of stronger effects during desert dust days. We additionally report severe effects of SO2, even at today's low concentration levels. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.

Notes:

Cited By :66Export Date: 2 November 2015CODEN: ENVRACorrespondence Address: Samoli, E.; Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 115 27 Athens, Greece; email: esamoli@med.uoa.grChemicals/CAS: nitrogen dioxide, 10102-44-0; ozone, 10028-15-6; sulfur dioxide, 7446-09-5; Air Pollutants; Dust; Nitrogen Dioxide, 10102-44-0; Ozone, 10028-15-6; Particulate Matter; Sulfur Dioxide, 7446-09-5References: Abe, T., Tokuda, Y., Ohde, S., Ishimatsu, S., Nakamura, T., Birrer, R.B., The relationship of short-term air pollution and weather to ED visits for asthma in Japan (2009) Am. J. Emerg. Med., 27, pp. 153-159;Aekplakorn, W., Loomis, D., Vichit-Vadakan, N., Shy, C., Plungchuchon, S., Acute effects of SO2 and particles from a power plant on respiratory symptoms of children Thailand (2003) Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. 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