Effects of Particulate and Gaseous Air Pollution on Cardiorespiratory Hospitalizations

TLDR

We linked daily hospital admission counts for respiratory, cardiac, cerebral vascular, and peripheral vascular diseases in Toronto (1980–1994) to daily measurements of PM10, PM2.5, PM10–2.5, ozone, CO, NO₂, and SO₂. Air pollution weakly associated with cerebral and peripheral admissions, but a 10 µg/m³ increase in PM10, PM2.5, or PM10–2.5 raised respiratory and cardiac admissions by 1.9 %, 3.3 %, and 2.9 % respectively, dropping to 0.50 %, 0.75 %, and 0.77 % after adjusting for gases, and 7.72 excess daily admissions were attributed to the mix, with 11.8 % from PM2.5, 8.2 % from PM10–2.5, 17 % from CO, 40.4 % from NO₂, 2.8 % from SO₂, and 19.8 % from ozone.

Abstract

Abstract We obtained data on daily numbers of admissions to hospital in Toronto, Canada, from 1980 to 1994 for respiratory, cardiac, cerebral vascular, and peripheral vascular diseases. We then linked the data to daily measures of particulate mass less than 10 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), particulate mass less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), and particulate mass between 2.5 and 10 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM10–2.5), ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Air pollution was only associated weakly with hospitalization for cerebral vascular and peripheral vascular diseases. We controlled for temporal trends and climatic factors, and we found that increases of 10 μg/m3 in PM10, PM2.5, and PM10.2.5 were associated with 1.9%, 3.3%, and 2.9% respective increase in respiratory and cardiac hospital admissions. We further controlled for gaseous pollutants, and the percentages were reduced to 0.50%, 0.75%, and 0.77%, respectively. Of the 7.72 excess daily hospital admissions in Toronto attributable to the atmospheric pollution mix, 11.8% resulted from PM2.5, 8.2% to PM10.2.5, 17% to carbon monoxide, 40.4% to nitrogen dioxide, 2.8% to sulfur dioxide, and 19.8% to ozone.