Daily measures of maximum temperature, particulate matter less than or equal to 10 micro m in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), and gaseous pollution (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide) were collected in Denver, Colorado, in July and August between 1993 and 1997. We then compared these exposures with concurrent data on the number of daily hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases in men and women > 65 years of age. Generalized linear models, assuming a Poisson error structure for the selected cardiovascular disease hospital admissions, were constructed to evaluate the associations with air pollution and temperature. After adjusting the admission data for yearly trends, day-of-week effects, ambient maximum temperature, and dew point temperature, we studied the associations of the pollutants in single-pollutant models with lag times of 0-4 days. The results suggest that O3 is associated with an increase in the risk of hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction, coronary atherosclerosis, and pulmonary heart disease. SO2 appears to be related to increased hospital stays for cardiac dysrhythmias, and CO is significantly associated with congestive heart failure. No association was found between particulate matter or NO2 and any of the health outcomes. Males tend to have higher numbers of hospital admissions than do females for all of the selected cardiovascular diseases, except for congestive heart failure. Higher temperatures appear to be an important factor in increasing the frequency of hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure, and are associated with a decrease in the frequency of visits for coronary atherosclerosis and pulmonary heart disease.

We studied exposures to higher daily maximum temperatures and concentrations of air pollutants in Tokyo during the summer months of July and August from 1980 to 1995 and their effects on hospital emergency transports for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases for males and females > 65 years of age. Cardiovascular diseases were angina, cardiac insufficiency, hypertension, and myocardial infarction. Respiratory diseases were asthma, acute and chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. Except for pneumonia, daily maximum temperatures were not associated with hospital emergency transports. Increasing daily maximum temperatures, however, were associated with decreased hospital emergency transports for hypertension. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide or particulate matter < or = 10 microm, however, were associated with daily hospital emergency transports for angina, cardiac insufficiency, myocardial infarction, asthma, acute and chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. For cardiac insufficiency, hypertension, myocardial infarction, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia, the expected daily number of emergency transports per million were greater for males than for females. For angina and acute bronchitis, there were no differences for the expected daily numbers of emergency transports per million between males and females.

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Metallic elements contained in coal, oil and gasoline are mobilized by combustion processes and may be emitted into the atmosphere, mainly as components of submicron particles. The information about the amounts, composition and form of metal compounds is reviewed for some fuels and combustion processes. Since metal compounds are always contained in urban air pollutants, they have to be considered whenever an evaluation of biological impact of air pollutants is made. The value of currently used bioassays for the evaluation of the role of trace metal compounds, either as major biologically active components or as modifiers of biological effects of organic compounds is assessed. The whole animal bioassays for carcinogenicity do not seem to be an appropriate approach. They are costly, time-consuming and not easily amenable to the testing of complex mixtures. Some problems related to the application and interpretation of short-term bioassays are considered, and the usefulness of such bioassays for the evaluation of trace metal components contained in complex air pollution mixtures is examined.

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