Outdoor air pollution and infant mortality: analysis of daily time-series data in 10 English cities.
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.
Hajat
Shakoor
S
Public & Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK. shakoor.hajat@lshtm.ac.uk
Armstrong
Ben
B
Wilkinson
Paul
P
Busby
Araceli
A
Dolk
Helen
H
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
D000393:Air Pollutants; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide