Effects of fine particles on children’s hospital admissions for respiratory health in Seville, Spain

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of fine particles PM 2.5 on nonprogrammed children's hospital admissions that occurred in the city of Seville between 2007 and 2011, and makes an economic assessment of the cost of the children's hospital admissions for respiratory causes due to particle pollution. The PM 2.5 dose-response functions for each type of hospital admission were used to quantify the cost of the hospital admissions. It can be concluded that the PM 2.5 concentrations have negative effects on bronchiolitis, pneumonia, asthma, and bronchitis and other causes. A reduction of the daily average annual PM 2.5 concentration from the existing levels to 10 µg/m 3 would show an annual average reduction of children's hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases of 0.09 cases. This paper shows that the daily average cost for children hospital admissions due to respiratory reasons in the city of Seville, associated with daily average annual levels of PM 2.5 above 10 µg/m 3 , was almost 200€.Implications: Elevated PM 2.5 concentrations in Seville have negative effects on children's bronchiolitis, pneumonia, asthma, and bronchitis and other causes. A reduction of the daily average annual PM 2.5 concentration from the existing levels to 10 μg/m 3 would suppose an annual mean reduction of children's hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases of 0.09 cases.

Fine particulate pollution and asthma exacerbations

“…PM 2.5 concentration, which gave half of this plateau, was estimated at 13.5 µg/m 3 . These findings are consistent with the results obtained by Pablo-Romero et al 14. The authors report a constant increase of hospital paediatric admission rate specifically for asthma until a value of around 20 µg/m 3 .…”

Chronic PM2.5 exposure and risk of infant bronchiolitis and otitis media clinical encounters

“…Previous analyses (Karr et al 2007; Karr et la. 2009a; Karr et al 2009b; de Pablo et al 2015), which found null and positive associations, were conducted using only hospitalization cases. We also examined emergency room and observational stay clinical encounters separately and found risk and precision estimates were similar to our main findings using all types of encounters.…”

“…Differences in results also may be due to differing levels and composition of PM 2.5 in the South Coast Air Basin compared to Massachusetts (Bell et al 2007) or differing exposure assessment methods. Another analysis in Spain indicated a positive association, but this analysis was limited to a single monitor station for the entire region (de Pablo et al 2015). …”

“…Toxicological studies have demonstrated that chronic exposure to traffic related air pollution, such as particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (PM 2.5 ) can trigger an inflammatory response in rats (Luo et al 2014; Xu et al 2008; Ying et al 2015) and humans (Ostro et al 2014). To date, there have been only a few studies investigating the effects of long term PM 2.5 exposure and bronchiolitis (de Pablo-Romero et al 2015; Karr et al 2007; Karr et al 2009a; Karr et al 2009b) or OM (Brauer et al 2006; MacIntyre et al 2011; MacIntyre et al 2013), indicating evidence of a possible association (Brauer et al 2006; Karr et al 2007; MacIntyre et al 2011). Examining the association between PM 2.5 exposure and clinical encounters for infant bronchiolitis and OM may help better elucidate factors contributing to the occurrence and symptom severity of these common child morbidities.…”

Chemical profiles of PM emitted from the iron and steel industry in northern China

“…Although the PM emission factor for the puddling process is not the highest 226 among all of these processes, the proportion of the fine particles was the greatest. OC tend to distribute in smaller particles, making fine particles much more harmful to 237 human health and the climate (Li et al 2014, Pablo-Romero et al 2015.…”