The impact of air pollution on hospital admission for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in an oil-rich country.
OBJECTIVE
Aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of air pollution on hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in an oil rich developing country, State of Qatar.


METHODS
A prospective cohort population based study was conducted at different stations of Qatar during the period (2002-2005) for recording the concentration of air pollutants daily for sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM10). Hospital admission data were collected from the inpatient discharge database of the Medical Records Department, Hamad General Hospital.


RESULTS
An average of 5.36 admissions from ischemic heart diseases was counted daily in all the population which was even higher than the respiratory diseases (3.4/day). Minimum temperature was inversely correlated with all pollutants except for O3 and SO2.


CONCLUSIONS
There was an association between increasing air pollutant levels and patients admitted for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Bener
A
A
Dept. of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, State of Qatar. abener@hmc.org.qa
Dogan
M
M
Shanks
N J
NJ
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D010126:Ozone / Q000009:adverse effects; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide