Air pollution and hospital admissions for pneumonia in a tropical city: Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
This study was undertaken to determine whether there was an association between air pollutant levels and hospital admissions for pneumonia in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Hospital admissions for pneumonia and ambient air pollution data for Kaohsiung were obtained for the period of 1996-2004. The relative risk of hospital admission was estimated using a case-crossover approach, controlling for weather variables, day of the week, seasonality, and long-term time trends. In the single-pollutant models, on warm days (= 25 degrees C) statistically significant positive associations were found for all pollutants. On cool days (< 25 degrees C), all pollutants were also significantly associated with number of pneumonia admissions. For the two-pollutant model, O3 and CO were significant in combination with each of the other four pollutants on warm days. On cool days, PM10 and NO2 remained statistically significant in all the two-pollutant models. This study provides evidence that higher levels of ambient air pollutants increase the risk of hospital admissions for pneumonia. The effects of air pollutants on hospital admissions for pneumonia were temperature dependent.
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ming-Fen
MF
Cheng
Shang-Shyue
SS
Tsai
Trong-Neng
TN
Wu
Pei-Shih
PS
Chen
Chun-Yuh
CY
Yang
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012306:Risk; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014329:Tropical Climate
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide