Impact of air pollution on the rate of hospital admission of children with respiratory diseases

Abstract

Background/Aim. Numerous epidemiological studies have reported effects of air pollution on the prevalence of respiratory diseases in children. Association between air pollution and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases among children has not been investigated in our country yet. The purpose of this study was to examine impact of ordinary air pollutants (sulfur dioxide and black smoke) in concentrations regularly reported during monitoring on hospital admissions for respiratory diseases among children. Methods. We compared daily data of sulphur dioxide and black smoke concentrations in air with data of daily hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in children 0-14 years of age in two periods (1992-1995 and 2002-2005) in Nis, Serbia. Results. There were totally 4 283 and 3 842 hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in children in the first (1992-1995), and the second (2002-2005) period observed, respectively. The highest number of hospital admissions was registered in children aged 0-4 years, and the lowest one in children aged 10-14 years. Statistically significant influence of pollutants on the number of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases was observed in the period 1992-1995 in children aged 0-4 years. Overall, a 10 ?g/m3 increase in black smoke concentration was associated with a 3.95% (95% CI 1.29-6.67%) increase in the rate of hospital admission for respiratory diseases after three days, 4.50% (1.77-7.30%) after four days and 7.15% (1.21-13.44%) after seven days. A 10 ?g/m3 increase in sulphur dioxide concentration was associated with a 1.29% (0.03-2.56%) increases in the rate of hospital admission for respiratory illness after three days. Influence of air pollution on the number of hospital admissions in older groups of children, as well as in the period 2002-2005 was not statistically significant. Conclusion. Our study suggested that air pollution concentration measured during regular monitoring, out of episodes of pollution, appear to be risk for hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in children age 0-4 years.Uvod/Cilj. Mnogobrojne epidemioloske studije pokazuju da aerozagadjenje utice na pojavu respiratornih oboljenja kod dece. U nasoj zemlji do sada nije pracen uticaj aerozagadjenja na hospitalizaciju dece zbog respiratornih oboljenja. Cilj ovog rada bio je da se prikaze kako tipicni polutanti iz vazduha, sumpor dioksid i cadj, u koncentracijama koje se beleze u okviru redovnog monitoringa, uticu na hospitalizaciju dece zbog respiratornih oboljenja. Metode. Uporedjivani su dnevni podaci o prosecnim koncentracijama sumpor dioksida i cadji u vazduhu sa dnevnim podacima hospitalizacije zbog respiratornih oboljenja kod dece uzrasta 0-14 godina u dva perioda (1992-1995. i 2002-2005. god.) u Nisu, Republika Srbija. Rezultati. U prvom posmatranom periodu bilo je ukupno 4 283 hospitalizacije dece zbog respiratornih oboljenja, dok je u drugom periodu bilo 3 842 hospitalizacije. U oba perioda najveci broj hospitalizacija utvrdjen je kod dece uzrasta 0-4 godine, a najmanje kod dece uzrasta 10-14 godina. Statisticki znacajan uticaj polutanata na broj hospitalnih prijema zbog respiratornih oboljenja potvrdjen je u periodu od 1992. do 1995. godine kod dece od 0-4 godine. Svako povecanje prosecne dnevne koncentracije cadji u vazduhu za 10 ?g/m3 dovelo je do povecanja broja hospitalizacija posle tri dana za 3,95% (CI 1,29-6,67%), posle cetiri dana za 4,50% (1,77-7,30%), a posle sedam dana za 7,15% (1,21-13,44%). Povecanje prosecne dnevne koncentracije sumpor dioksida u vazduhu za 10 ?g/m3 dovelo je do povecanja broja hospitalnih prijema posle tri dana za 1,29% (0,03-2,56%). Uticaj aerozagadjenja na broj hospitalnih prijema u starijim grupama, kao i u periodu od 2002. do 2005. godine nije bio statisticki znacajan. Zakljucak. Koncentracije ispitivanih polutanata zabelezene u okviru redovnog monitoringa, van epizoda zagadjenja, dovode do povecane hospitalizacije zbog respiratornih oboljenja kod dece uzrasta od 0 do 4 godine.