Environmental factors and hospitalisation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a rural county of England.
BACKGROUND
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global cause of morbidity and mortality. Studies in urban areas have shown associations between air pollutants and hospital admissions for COPD. Whether temporal variations in air quality are associated with hospital admissions for COPD in a rural region with lower concentrations of air pollutants than previously studied was investigated.


METHODS
Daily COPD admissions were recorded for patients attending three hospitals in the county of Norfolk, UK, between January 2006 and February 2007. Records were combined with daily information on concentrations of six air pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, ozone and fine particulates), airborne pollens, temperature and influenza incidence. A case-crossover analysis was used to examine the association between air pollution and daily admissions.


RESULTS
There were 1050 admissions for COPD over the study period. After adjustment for temperature, pollen and respiratory infections, each 10 microg/m(3) increase in CO was associated with a 2% increase in the odds of admission. Values of 17%, 22% and 9% were observed for NO, NO(2) and oxides of nitrogen respectively. No associations were observed with O(3) or particulates.


CONCLUSIONS
Among a population of a less urbanised area than previously investigated, this study found evidence that ambient pollutant concentrations were still associated with the risks of hospital admission for COPD.
Sauerzapf
V
V
School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK.
Jones
A P
AP
Cross
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D000393:Air Pollutants