Urban air pollution and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-related emergency department visits

Abstract

These results indicate that air pollution affects health in a gender- and age-specific manner and should be considered a relevant risk factor that exacerbates COPD in urban environments.

Global Associations between Air Pollutants and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Hospitalizations: A Systematic Review

“…However, seasonal differences were estimated in a 5-year European study (37), with a very small but insignificant association observed in winter and no relationship seen in the summer. Most studies estimated acute effects for SO 2 (21, 34) or 2-day lagged effects (21,30,38). In only one study (35) did researchers estimate longer lagged effects of up to 13 days.…”

A systematic review of the physical and chemical characteristics of pollutants from biomass burning and combustion of fossil fuels and health effects in Brazil

“…Several time-series studies were conducted in metropolitan areas to investigate the health effects of air pollution 21,22,23,27,28,31,32,35,36,38,41,42,44,46,49,64,69,74 . Published in 2007, the first studies on the health effects of air pollution in biomass burning areas in the Brazilian Amazon were limited to descriptive studies and focused mainly on asthma 59,61,65,66,72 .…”

Association between particulate matter air pollution and monthly inhalation and nebulization procedures in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil

“…Air pollution accounts for an estimated 5% of a total of more than 50 million deaths that occur annually in the world 37 . Various studies 9,38,39 have shown direct associations between particulate matter levels and morbidity and mortality rates, which raises warnings concerning the decrease in life expectancy among residents of areas with high accumulation of this pollutant, particularly in large cities. In Brazil, with the use of hydrated alcohol or the anhydrous alcohol/gasoline mixture (22% alcohol) as fuel in automotive vehicles, the population in large urban areas has felt significant improvements in the environment and health, because such use has led to a decrease in lead compound emissions 40 .…”

“…In Brazil, research on this theme has grown in recent years 5,6,7 , and many studies have associated pollution and meteorological factors with respiratory diseases 8,9,10,11,12,13 . Such studies, when conducted in specific populations, can provide important descriptions of the occurrence of new cases of respiratory complications in a given period and their effect on spending by the public health system.…”