title: Analysis of short-term influences of ambient aeroallergens on pediatric asthma hospital visits.
abstract: The objective of our study was to investigate the association between daily pediatric asthma hospital visits and daily concentrations of aeroallergens and their specific species. Records of daily asthma visits in Cincinnati area were retrieved from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and aeroallergen sampling was performed by the Button Inhalable Sampler. The Poisson generalized linear model was carried out in which the log of the number of asthma hospital visits was related to aeroallergen level, treated as a continuous variable with adjustment for seasonal time trend, day of the week, ozone and PM(2.5) concentrations, temperature and humidity. The aeroallergens having a significant impact on asthma hospital visits were ragweed, oak/maple and Pinaceae pollen. Their relative risks on asthma hospital visits with respect to a 100 counts/m(3) increase in concentration were in the range of 1.23 to 1.54. The effects in causing the asthma exacerbation were delayed by 3 or 5 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, PO Box 670056, Ohio 45267-0056, USA. weizhong22@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reponen
authors.forename: Gurjit K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Hershey
authors.forename: Atin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: LeMasters
mesh_terms: D031002:Acer / Q000009:adverse effects; D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D031164:Ambrosia / Q000009:adverse effects; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi; D009820:Ohio; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D028201:Pinaceae / Q000009:adverse effects; D006109:Poaceae; D011058:Pollen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D029963:Quercus / Q000009:adverse effects; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D052638:Particulate Matter; D010126:Ozone