title: Air pollution, aeroallergens and admissions to pediatric emergency room for respiratory reasons in Turin, northwestern Italy.
abstract: Air pollution can cause respiratory symptoms or exacerbate pre-existing respiratory diseases, especially in children. This study looked at the short-term association of air pollution concentrations with Emergency Room (ER) admissions for respiratory reasons in pediatric age (0-18 years).
  
  
  
  Daily number of ER admissions in a children's Hospital, concentrations of urban-background PM2.5, NO2, O3 and total aeroallergens (Corylaceae, Cupressaceae, Gramineae, Urticaceae, Ambrosia, Betula) were collected in Turin, northwestern Italy, for the period 1/08/2008 to 31/12/2010 (883 days). The associations between exposures and ER admissions were estimated, at time lags between 0 and 5 days, using generalized linear Poisson regression models, adjusted for non-meteorological potential confounders.
  
  
  
  In the study period, 21,793 ER admissions were observed, mainly (81 %) for upper respiratory tract infections. Median air pollution concentrations were 22.0, 42.5, 34.1 μg/m(3) for urban-background PM2.5, NO2, and O3, respectively, and 2.9 grains/m(3) for aeroallergens. We found that ER admissions increased by 1.3 % (95 % CI: 0.3-2.2 %) five days after a 10 μg/m(3) increase in NO2, and by 0.7 % (95 % CI: 0.1-1.2 %) one day after a 10 grains/m(3) increase in aeroallergens, while they were not associated with PM2.5 concentrations. ER admissions were negatively associated with O3 and aeroallergen concentrations at some time lags, but these association shifted to the null when meteorological confounders were adjusted for in the models.
  
  
  
  Overall, these findings confirm adverse short-term health effects of air pollution on the risk of ER admission in children and encourage a careful management of the urban environment to health protection.
authors: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Santena, 5 bis, 10126, Turin, Italy. roberto.bono@unito.it.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Bono
authors: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Santena, 5 bis, 10126, Turin, Italy.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Romanazzi
authors: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Santena, 5 bis, 10126, Turin, Italy.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Bellisario
authors: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Santena, 5 bis, 10126, Turin, Italy.
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Tassinari
authors: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Santena, 5 bis, 10126, Turin, Italy.
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Trucco
authors: Pediatrics Emergency, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Piazza Polonia, 94, 10126, Turin, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Urbino
authors: Department of Physics, University of Turin, Via P. Giuria, 1, 10125, Turin, Italy.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Cassardo
authors: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Viale P. A. Mattioli, 25, 10125, Turin, Italy.
authors: Consolata
authors: C
authors: Siniscalco
authors: Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie, 8, Verona, Italy.
authors: Pierpaolo
authors: P
authors: Marchetti
authors: Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie, 8, Verona, Italy.
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Marcon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010126:Ozone; D052638:Particulate Matter; D010343:Patient Admission; D010944:Plants; D011058:Pollen; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012306:Risk; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D052638:Particulate Matter; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010126:Ozone
keywords: Airborne pollutants; Pediatric emergency room; Pollens; Short-term respiratory effects; Time-series analysis