[Air pollution, bronchial asthma, and acute respiratory infections in minors, Habana City].
OBJECTIVE
To identify the relationship between emergency visits for acute respiratory illnesses, acute bronchial asthma crisis (ABAC) and acute respiratory infections (ARI), in children less than 14 years of age, and the daily changes of air pollutant levels, in two central hospitals of Havana City, between October 1st 1996 and March 16 1998.


METHODS
An ecological time series study was conducted. We assessed the relationship between the presence of acute respiratory illnesses, ABAC, and IRA, and exposure to levels of particles less than 10 microg/m3 (PM10), smoke, and sulfur dioxide (SO2); negative binomial regression models were used to assess latency periods of one to five days as well as the cumulative effect of seven days before the emergency visit.


RESULTS
The levels of atmospheric pollutants were low, in general. The 24-hour mean values for PM10 levels, smoke, and SO2, were 59.2 microg/m3 (SD=29.2), 27.7 microg/m3 (SD=21.2), and 21.1 microg/m3 (SD=20.1), respectively. An increase of 20 microg/m3 in the daily average of black smoke was associated with a 2.2% increase (95% CI 0.9-3.6) in the number of emergency visits for ABAC. A 20 microg/m3 increase in the daily average of black smoke and SO was associated with an increase in ARI of 2.4% (95% CI 1.2-3.6), and 5% (95% CI 1.3-5.3), respectively, with a 5-day lag. We also observed a cumulative effect for all the contaminants studied.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that air pollution levels in Havana City affect children's respiratory health; therefore implementation of control measures is necessary, especially those aimed at decreasing motor vehicle exhaust fumes. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.
Romero-Placeres
Manuel
M
Instituto Nacional de Higiene, Epidemiología y Microbiología, La Habana, Cuba.
Más-Bermejo
Pedro
P
Lacasaña-Navarro
Marina
M
Téllez Rojo-Solís
Martha María
MM
Aguilar-Valdés
Juan
J
Romieu
Isabelle
I
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D004630:Emergencies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors
Contaminación atmosférica, asma bronquial e infecciones respiratorias agudas en menores de edad, de la Habana.