Ozone and cause-specific cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality.
BACKGROUND
Health effects of ozone have been observed in numerous studies. However, analyses of more cause-specific morbidity or mortality outcomes have rarely been performed. A study was undertaken to determine the short-term associations of ozone with cause-specific cardiorespiratory mortality and morbidity by age groups.


METHODS
Daily levels of ozone were measured at a background measurement station in 1998-2004 in Helsinki, Finland. All analyses were a priori restricted to the warm season. Daily cause-specific cardiorespiratory mortality and hospital admissions were studied in elderly people (> or =65 years) and adults (15-64 years) and associations between ozone and asthma emergency room visits in children (<15 years) were analysed. All models were adjusted for PM(2.5) and Poisson regression was used for the analyses.


RESULTS
There was a positive association between ozone and admissions for asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in elderly people (9.6%; 95% CI 2.0% to 17.8% at 0-day lag for 25 microg/m(3) increase in ozone). Consistent associations were also found between ozone and asthma emergency room visits in children (12.6%; 95% CI 0.8% to 25.1%, 0-day lag). There was a suggestion of an association between ozone and admissions for arrhythmia among elderly people (6.4%; 95% CI 0.63% to 12.5%, 1-day lag), which was slightly confounded by PM(2.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Positive associations were found for ambient ozone with asthma visits among children and with pooled asthma/COPD admissions among elderly people. The evidence for a positive association between ozone and cardiovascular health was weaker.
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Environmental Epidemiology Unit, P O Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland.
Jaana I
JI
Halonen
Timo
T
Lanki
Pekka
P
Tiittanen
Jarkko V
JV
Niemi
Miranda
M
Loh
Juha
J
Pekkanen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D012621:Seasons; D020521:Stroke / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult
D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone