title: Outdoor air pollution and infant mortality: analysis of daily time-series data in 10 English cities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is growing concern that moderate levels of outdoor air pollution may be associated with infant mortality, representing substantial loss of life-years. To date, there has been no investigation of the effects of outdoor pollution on infant mortality in the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Daily time-series data of air pollution and all infant deaths between 1990 and 2000 in 10 major cities of England: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield, were analysed. City-specific estimates were pooled across cities in a fixed-effects meta-regression to provide a mean estimate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Few associations were observed between infant deaths and most pollutants studied. The exception was sulphur dioxide (SO2), of which a 10 mug/m(3) increase was associated with a RR of 1.02 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.04) in all infant deaths. The effect was present in both neonatal and postneonatal deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuing reductions in SO2 levels in the UK may yield additional health benefits for infants.
authors.affiliation: Public & Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK. shakoor.hajat@lshtm.ac.uk
authors.forename: Shakoor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hajat
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busby
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dolk
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D002947:Cities; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008131:London; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000009:adverse effects; D010126:Ozone / Q000009:adverse effects; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide