title: Ambient air pollution, weather and daily emergency department visits for headache.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Headache is a common condition, and a common complaint leading patients to emergency departments (ED). There have been a number of studies of the effect of environmental factors on headache, such as weather and air pollutants.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective cohort study included data on daily ED visits with a chief complaint of headache in Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC) during 2002-2012. Data on weather and air pollutants were obtained from monitor station in Be'er-Sheva. To estimate the short-term effects of air pollution and temperature on number of daily headache ED visits, we applied generalized linear mixed models (GLMM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 22,021 ED visits were included in the analysis. An increase in 5℃ in temperature was associated with an increase in ED visits, relative risk (RR) = 1.042, (95% CI 1.009; 1.076). RR for headache was associated with an increase in 10 units of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), RR = 1.110 (95% CI 1.057; 1.167), with a higher effect for older patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current findings give evidence of an association between air pollution, weather and ED visits for headache, especially for NO2. Short-term increases in air pollution exposure may trigger headache by increasing pulmonary and systemic inflammation, increasing blood coagulability or altering endothelial function.
authors: Public Health Department, Faculty for Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Israel alina.vodonos@gmail.com Vodonos@bgu.ac.il.
authors: Alina
authors: A
authors: Vodonos
authors: Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Israel.
authors: Victor
authors: V
authors: Novack
authors: Neurology Department, Soroka University Medical Center, Israel.
authors: Yair
authors: Y
authors: Zlotnik
authors: Neurology Department, Soroka University Medical Center, Israel.
authors: Gal
authors: G
authors: Ifergane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013696:Temperature; D014600:Utilization Review; D014887:Weather; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dust exposure; air pollution; emergency department visit; headache