Air pollution and respiratory diseases: ecological time series

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Exposure to air pollutants is one of the factors responsible for hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases. The objective here was to estimate the effect of exposure to particulate matter (such as PM 2.5 ) on hospitalizations due to certain respiratory diseases among residents in Volta Redonda (RJ). DESIGN AND SETTING: Ecological time series study using data from Volta Redonda (RJ). METHODS: Data on hospital admissions among residents of Volta Redonda (RJ), between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2012, due to pneumonia, acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis and asthma, were analyzed. Daily data on PM 2.5 concentrations were estimated through the CCATT-BRAMS model. The generalized additive Poisson regression model was used, taking the daily number of hospitalizations to be the dependent variable and the PM 2.5 concentration to be the independent variable, with adjustment for temperature, relative humidity, seasonality and day of the week, and using lags of zero to seven days. Excess hospitalization and its cost were calculated in accordance with increases in PM 2.5 concentration of 5 µg/m 3 . RESULTS: There were 752 hospitalizations in 2012; the average concentration of PM 2.5 was 17.2 µg/m 3 ; the effects of exposure were significant at lag 2 (RR = 1.017), lag 5 (RR = 1.022) and lag 7 (RR = 1,020). A decrease in PM 2.5 concentration of 5 µg/m 3 could reduce admissions by up to 76 cases, with a decrease in spending of R$ 84,000 a year. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study provide support for implementing public health policies in this municipality, which is an important steelmaking center. RESUMOCONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: A exposição aos poluentes do ar é um dos fatores responsáveis por internações por doenças respiratórias; o objetivo foi estimar o efeito da exposição a material particulado (como PM 2,5 ) sobre as hospitalizações devido a certas doenças respiratórias em moradores de Volta Redonda (RJ). TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo ecológico de séries temporais utilizando dados de Volta Redonda (RJ).MÉTODOS: Foram analisados dados de internação hospitalar, entre 1 de janeiro de 2012 e 31 de dezembro de 2012, devida a pneumonia, bronquite aguda, bronquiolite e asma, em residentes em Volta Redonda (RJ), e dados diários das concentrações de PM 2,5 obtidos a partir do modelo CCATT-BRAMS. Utilizou-se o modelo aditivo generalizado de regressão de Poisson, sendo o número diário de internações a variável dependente e a concentração PM 2,5 a variável independente, ajustado para temperatura, umidade relativa, sazonalidade e dia da semana e defasagens entre zero e sete dias. Excesso de internação hospitalar e seu custo, de acordo com o aumento de 5 ug/m 3 na concentração de PM 2,5 , foram calculados. RESULTADOS: Ocorreram 752 internações em 2012; a concentração média de PM 2,5 foi de 17,2 ug/m 3 ; os efeitos da exposição foram significativos em lag 2 (RR = 1,017), lag 5 (RR = 1,022) e lag 7 (RR = 1,020). A redução em 5 ug/m 3 na concentração de PM 2,5 poderia reduzir até 76 casos as internações...

Efeitos da exposição a poluentes do ar na saúde das crianças de Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brasil

“…A 10μg/m 3 increment in PM 2.5 was associated with a 7.9% to 8.6% increase in relative risk. In Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro State, in an analysis of data on hospital admissions due to pneumonia, acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and asthma according to daily data on PM 2.5 concentrations, also estimated by CCATT-BRAMS, exposures were significantly associated at lag 2 (RR = 1.017), lag 5 (RR = 1.022), and lag 7 (RR = 1.020) 18 ; mean PM 2.5 concentration in the Volta Redonda study was 17.2μg/m 3 . A reduction of 5μg/m 3 in PM 2.5 concentration would avoid up to 76 hospitalizations, with a decrease of BRL 84,000/year (≈ USD 33,000) in hospital costs 18 .…”

“…This model is used operationally by the Center for Weather Forecasting and Climate Studies of the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (CPTEC/INPE) in an operational base. It estimates PM 2.5 concentrations every three hours, resulting in eight estimates made by the model at 40m aboveground, with a resolution of 25x25km 13,14 ; Recent applications of data estimated by CCATT-BRAMS in epidemiological studies can be found in César et al 15,16 , Silva et al 17 , Nascimento et al 18 , and Carmo et al 19 .…”

Fine particulate matter and ischemic heart diseases inrelation to sex. An ecological time series study

“…Nonetheless, use of data estimated through the CCATT-BRAMS model, which has already been implemented in other studies, may form an alternative for studies on the effects of exposure to fine particulate matter on human health, such as in relation to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. [22][23][24][25]…”

Coarse particles and hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases in children. An ecological time series study

“…The effects of exposure to fine particulate matter on health, particularly with regard to hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases, have been described in some studies. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The particles in PM10 are further classified based on their capacity for lung penetration, as follows: fine (PM2.5) if their diameter is not more than 2.5 μm; and coarse (PM10-2.5) if their diameter is between 2.5 μm and 10 μm. For the latter fraction, which is commonly formed by mechanical grinding and resuspension of solid material, no specific standard for air quality analysis has been adopted, and the general PM10 standard is used.…”