title: Ozone, suspended particulates, and daily mortality in Mexico City.
abstract: To investigate acute, irreversible effects of exposure to ozone and other air pollutants, the authors examined daily death counts in relation to air pollution levels in Mexico City during 1990-1992. When considered singly in Poisson regression models accounting for periodic effects, the rate ratio for total mortality associated with a 100-ppb increment in 1-hour maximum ozone concentration was 1.024 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.011-1.039). Measures of average ozone concentration were somewhat more strongly related to mortality. The rate ratio was 1.024 (95% CI 0.984-1.062) per 100 ppb for sulfur dioxide and 1.050 (95% CI 1.030-1.067) per 100 micrograms/m3 for total suspended particulates. However, when all three pollutants were considered simultaneously, only total suspended particulates remained associated with mortality, indicating excess mortality of 6% per 100 micrograms/m3 (rate ratio = 1.058, 95% CI 1.033-1.083), consistent with observations in other cities in the United States and Europe. The authors found no independent effect of ozone, but it is difficult to attribute observed effects to a single pollutant in light of the complexity and variability of the mixture to which people are exposed. Nevertheless, particulate matter may be a useful indicator of the risk associated with ambient air pollution.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Borja-Aburto
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Loomis
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Bangdiwala
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shy
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rascon-Pacheco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003644:Death Certificates; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D010126:Ozone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014504:Urban Health; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D010126:Ozone