title: Apparent temperature and cause-specific emergency hospital admissions in Greater Copenhagen, Denmark.
abstract: One of the key climate change factors, temperature, has potentially grave implications for human health. We report the first attempt to investigate the association between the daily 3-hour maximum apparent temperature (Tapp(max)) and respiratory (RD), cardiovascular (CVD), and cerebrovascular (CBD) emergency hospital admissions in Copenhagen, controlling for air pollution. The study period covered 1 January 2002-31 December 2006, stratified in warm and cold periods. A case-crossover design was applied. Susceptibility (effect modification) by age, sex, and socio-economic status was investigated. For an IQR (8°C) increase in the 5-day cumulative average of Tapp(max), a 7% (95% CI: 1%, 13%) increase in the RD admission rate was observed in the warm period whereas an inverse association was found with CVD (-8%, 95% CI: -13%, -4%), and none with CBD. There was no association between the 5-day cumulative average of Tapp(max) during the cold period and any of the cause-specific admissions, except in some susceptible groups: a negative association for RD in the oldest age group and a positive association for CVD in men and the second highest SES group. In conclusion, an increase in Tapp(max) is associated with a slight increase in RD and decrease in CVD admissions during the warmer months.
authors.affiliation: Section of Environmental Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. jawic@sund.ku.dk
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: Zorana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ketzel
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ellermann
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003718:Denmark; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013696:Temperature; D014887:Weather; D055815:Young Adult