Air Pollution and Childhood Asthma Emergency Visits
Author Information
Author(s): Söğütlü Yakup, Altaş Uğur, Altıntaş Tuğba, Altaş Zeynep Meva, Akova Sevgi, Özkars Mehmet Yaşar
Primary Institution: Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
Hypothesis
This study aims to evaluate the relationship between the number of visits to a pediatric emergency department due to asthma attacks and air pollutants.
Conclusion
Families should be informed about environmental exposures for disease management of children with asthma.
Supporting Evidence
- A one-unit increase in SO2 leads to a 0.020-unit decrease in the logarithm of the number of patient visits.
- A one-unit increase in NO leads to a 0.040-unit increase in the logarithm of the number of patient visits.
- As the levels of NO, NOx, PM2.5, NO2, and PM10 in the air increase, the number of patient visits also increases.
- The study included all pediatric patients with asthma who visited the emergency department from 2016 to 2023.
Takeaway
This study found that when air pollution goes up, more kids with asthma need to go to the hospital, but when sulfur dioxide levels rise, fewer kids seem to visit.
Methodology
An ecological study analyzing pediatric emergency department visits for asthma from January 2016 to December 2023 using a negative binomial regression model.
Potential Biases
Ecological bias may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Limitations
The study evaluated the relationship at a societal level without considering individual exposure levels and was conducted in a single institution.
Participant Demographics
59% of the participants were male, 41% female; 71.8% were aged 0-5 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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