Urban air pollution and emergency admissions for cerebrovascular diseases in Taipei, Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to evaluate the association between urban air pollutants and emergency admissions for cerebrovascular diseases.


RESULTS
Daily emergency admissions for cerebrovascular diseases (ICD-9-CM, 430-437) to the National Taiwan University Hospital were regressed against daily concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), sulphur dioxide (SO(2)), ozone (O(3)), and particulate matters with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 (PM(2.5)) and 10 microm (PM(10)) from 12 April 1997 to 31 December 2002 in Taipei metropolitan areas by the Poisson regression models adjusting for meteorological conditions and temporal trends. Single-pollutant models showed O(3) lagged 0 day, CO lagged 2 days, and PM(2.5) and PM(10) lagged 3 days were significantly associated with increasing emergency admissions for cerebrovascular diseases and CO lagged 2 days was significantly associated with increasing emergency admissions for strokes (ICD-9-CM, 430-434). Such association remained significant for O(3), CO, and cerebrovascular admissions after adjusting for PM(2.5) and PM(10) in two-pollutant models. The odds ratios were 1.021-1.022 per 31.3 ppb O(3) and 1.023-1.031 per 0.8 ppm CO, respectively. However, only CO was significantly associated with emergency admissions for stroke in the three-pollutant models with CO, O(3), and PM(2.5) or PM(10).


CONCLUSIONS
Emergency admissions for cerebrovascular diseases among adults were positively associated with increasing urban air pollution levels of O(3) lagged 0 day and CO lagged 2 days in Taipei.
Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Rm. 722, 7F, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, ROC. ccchan@ntu.edu.tw
Chang-Chuan
CC
Chan
Kai-Jen
KJ
Chuang
Lung-Chang
LC
Chien
Wen-Jone
WJ
Chen
Wei-Tien
WT
Chang
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004630:Emergencies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health