title: Associations between ambient particulate sulfate and admissions to Ontario hospitals for cardiac and respiratory diseases.
abstract: The association of daily cardiac and respiratory admissions to 168 acute care hospitals in Ontario, Canada, with daily levels of particulate sulfates was examined over the 6-year period 1983-1988. Sulfate levels were recorded at nine monitoring stations in regions of southern and central Ontario spanned by three monitoring networks. A 13-micrograms/m3 increase in sulfates recorded on the day prior to admission (the 95th percentile) was associated with a 3.7% (p < 0.0001) increase in respiratory admissions and a 2.8% (p < 0.0001) increase in cardiac admissions. Increases were observed for all age groups examined. Admissions for cardiac diseases increased 2.5% for those under 65 years and 3.5% for those 65 years and older. After adjusting for ambient temperature and ozone, similar increases in respiratory admissions were observed in the period from April to September (3.2%) and in the period from October to March (2.8%). A 3.2% increase was observed for cardiac admissions in the period from April to September, and a 3.4% increase was observed in the period from October to March after adjusting for ambient temperature and ozone.
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Branch, Health Canada, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dales
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krewski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dann
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Brook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010126:Ozone; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D013431:Sulfates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D013431:Sulfates; D010126:Ozone