Associations of particulate matter and its components with emergency room visits for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Sung-Hee HwangJae Young LeeSeung-Muk YiHo KimPublished in: PloS one (2017)
Numerous studies have revealed an association between particulate matter (PM) and emergency room (ER) visits, although few studies have investigated the association between health and PM components. The present study evaluated the associations of ER visits for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases with PM2.5 components, including organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and ion species (SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+). Statistical analyses were performed using the time-series approach, and generalized linear models with natural spline functions were used to adjust for the non-linear relationship between the confounders and ER visits. Our single-pollutant models revealed that the greatest increase in cardiovascular ER visits was associated with NH4+ (relative risk: 1.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.09), which was followed by OC, SO42-, NO3-, and EC. The associations of cardiovascular ER visits with EC and OC varied according to age and sex, with elderly and female patients exhibiting stronger associations. Lagged SO42- was associated with respiratory ER visits. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the associations between ER visits and PM components in South Korea. As PM components are related to traffic and industrial sources, and exhibited positive associations with ER visits, our results may help improve air pollution regulation and public health.
Keyphrases
- particulate matter
- air pollution
- public health
- endoplasmic reticulum
- estrogen receptor
- lung function
- breast cancer cells
- healthcare
- emergency department
- end stage renal disease
- ejection fraction
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- peritoneal dialysis
- mental health
- climate change
- human health
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- genetic diversity