title: Short-Term Effects of Coarse Particulate Matter on Hospital Admissions for Cardiovascular Diseases: A Case-Crossover Study in a Tropical City.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine whether there was an association between coarse particles (PM2.5-10) levels and frequency of hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Hospital admissions for CVD, including ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, congestive heart failure (CHF), and arrhythmias, and ambient air pollution data levels for Kaohsiung were obtained for the period 2006-2010. The relative risk of hospital admissions for CVD was estimated using a case-crossover approach, controlling for weather variables, day of the week, seasonality, and long-term time trends. For the single-pollutant model (without adjustment for other pollutants), increased rates of admissions for CVD were significantly associated with higher coarse PM levels only on cool days (< 25°C), with a 10-μg/m(3) elevation in PM2.5-10 concentrations associated with a 3% (95% CI = 2-4%) rise in IHD admissions, 5% (95% CI = 4-6%) increase in stroke admissions, 3% (95% CI = 1-6%) elevation in CHF admissions, and 3% (95% CI = 0-6%) rise in arrhythmias admissions. No significant associations were found between coarse particle levels and number of hospital admissions for CVD on warm days. In the two-pollutant models, PM2.5-10 levels remained significantly correlated with higher rate of CVD admissions even controlling for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, or ozone on cool days. Compared to the effect estimate associated with a 10-μg/m(3) increase in PM2.5 levels, effect estimates of frequency of CVD-related admissions associated with a 10-μg/m(3) rise in coarse PM levels were weaker. This study provides evidence that higher levels of PM2.5-10 enhance the risk of hospital admissions for CVD.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences , Kaohsiung Medical University , Kaohsiung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: b Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital , Chang Gung University College of Medicine , Taipei , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: c Master Program in Global Health and Development, College of Public Health and Nutrition , Taipei Medical University , Taipei , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ya-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: d Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine , National Health Research Institute , Miaoli , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Yuh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000139:chemically induced; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter