title: Effect of diurnal temperature range on the outpatient visits for acute bronchitis in children: a time-series study in Hefei, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and outpatient visits for childhood acute bronchitis (AB) in Hefei, China, to analyze whether DTR effect was delayed, and to explore the susceptible populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  An ecological study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyze the relationship between DTR and childhood AB from Hefei, China during 2010-2013, after adjusting for long-term trend and seasonality, mean temperature and relative humidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An adverse effect of DTR on childhood AB was observed, and the impact of DTR was greatest at three days lag, with a 1.0% (95% confidence interval = 0.5-1.6%) increase of AB cases per 1 °C increment of DTR. Female children and children aged 0-4 years appeared to be more vulnerable to DTR effect than other children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that large DTR may increase the incidence of childhood AB in Hefei, particularly for those who are female and young. Caregivers and health practitioners should be made aware of the potential threat posed by large DTR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: M-Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Anhui Province Children's Hospital, Hefei, Anhui 230051, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: D-S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: L-Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: K-S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: S-S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China. Electronic address: suhong5151@sina.com.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013696:Temperature
keywords: Acute bronchitis; Childhood; Climate change; Diurnal temperature range; Hefei