title: Observational approaches in the study of the effects of Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) exposure.
abstract: Literature contains mainly reports of observations based on time-series, or those of a case-crossover analysis design or, although less frequently, case control studies. However, data obtained by different approaches are difficult to compare based on different and non-homogenous population. The principal aim of this research was to compare the estimated risks obtained by differing approaches based on the same population study in the period 2006-2009. The data were based on a total of 44,200 residents in the city of Turin, hospitalised for respiratory diseases (ICD 460-519) in the period 2006-2009. Total suspended particulates (TSP), measured in µg/m(3), are the most commonly used predictors of urban pollution. The association between hospital admission for respiratory diseases and TSP exposure was investigated using at the same time the time-series, case-crossover and case-control approaches. The analyses show a general comparability of the case-crossover design stratified for time and the time-series approach, and the case control approach provided a more unstable estimation of risks. In conclusion, our results seem to indicate that the different approaches studied seem to offer comparable results.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Public Health and Microbiology , University of Turin , Turin , Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Migliaretti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berchialla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002947:Cities; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter