The focus of this study was to determine the relationship between asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and fires in the state of California. Publicly available data of ED visits due to asthma, as well as occurrence of forest fires in California from 2005 to 2015 were obtained, where the California counties were grouped by region: North, Coastal, Motherload, Central, and South. There were no statistical differences with regards to acres of forest burned, but statistically significant differences were found (although small) with regards to ED visits due to asthma attacks by region (Motherload higher than South region). When evaluating the relationship of ED visits due to asthma and acres of forest burned, forest fires barely explained the variability of emergency department visits (r = f 0.05, p<0.01). With aims to establish a connection between natural disasters and respiratory distress, we faced obstacles in data limitations and confounding variables. This paper serves as a pilot study supporting the need for further exploration of environmental, health, and socio-demographic variables that interplay when evaluating relationships of natural disasters and incidence of chronic diseases, such as asthma. Grover RS, Kumar R: Exhaled carbon monoxide levels: as a marker of clinical severity and control of asthma. J Asthma. 2008; 45(8): 677-680. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text 7. Burbank AJ, Sood AK, Kesic MJ, et al.: Environmental determinants of allergy and asthma in early life. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017; 140(1): 1-12. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text 8. Breysse PN, Diette GB, Matsui EC, et al.: Indoor air pollution and asthma in children. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2010; 7(2): 102-106. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text 9. Tzivian L: Outdoor air pollution and asthma in children. J Asthma. 2011; 48(5): 470-481. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text 10. Cakmak S, Dales RE, Coates F: Does air pollution increase the effect of aeroallergens on hospitalization for asthma? J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012; 129(1): 228-231. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text

Asthma is among the most prevalent chronic diseases affecting children worldwide. Sociodemographic factors, such as race and ethnicity, as well as food allergens and their association with asthma, have been extensively studied in an individual manner. Less is known about how food allergens can influence the effect of sociodemographic factors on childhood asthma prevalence. In this study, we re-analyzed a publicly available retrospective cross-sectional cohort dataset of childhood asthma. Multiple logistic regression of asthma by race and ethnicity, before and after adjustment by the most prevalent allergens, was implemented to the dataset. Hispanic individuals showed a higher odds risk (ORs; 1.30, CI 1.26 -1.35) of asthma than Non-Hispanic individuals (0.24, CI 0.23 -0.25), but after adjustment by most frequent food allergens reactivities (shellfish, peanut, and milk), the asthma odd risks were comparable (Hispanic,.76]; Non-Hispanic, 3.51 [3.47 -3.52]). When considering race, Black individuals (1.90, CI 1.87 -1.94) had higher ORs of asthma than White individuals (0.21, CI 0.20 -0.22), Asian/Pacific Islander individuals (1.00, CI 0.95 -1.05), and Other/Unknown races (1.14, CI 1.11 -1.27). Although the ORs increased by three to four times for all races after adjusting for the most frequent food allergen reactivities, the same pattern of childhood asthma remained when considering races (in this order, Black, Other/Unknown, Asian/Pacific Islander, and White). In the dataset evaluated in this study, food allergens modified the association of race and ethnicity with the development of asthma. Therefore, public health interventions that gear towards the incidence of childhood asthma should contemplate the interplay and differences in nutrition among races and ethnicities.

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The focus of this study was to determine the relationship between asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and fires in the state of California. Publicly available data of ED visits due to asthma, as well as occurrence of forest fires in California from 2005 to 2015 were obtained, where the California counties were grouped by region: North, Coastal, Motherload, Central, and South.  There were no statistical differences with regards to acres of forest burned, but statistically significant differences were found (although small) with regards to ED visits due to asthma attacks by region (Motherload higher than South region). When evaluating the relationship of ED visits due to asthma and acres of forest burned, forest fires barely explained the variability of emergency department visits (r2 = f 0.05, p<0.01). With aims to establish a connection between natural disasters and respiratory distress, we faced obstacles in data limitations and confounding variables. This paper serves as a pilot study supporting the need for further exploration of environmental, health, and socio-demographic variables that interplay when evaluating relationships of natural disasters and incidence of chronic diseases, such as asthma.