Medicina Pulmonar e Respiratória

Effects of Air Quality and Climate Change on Airway Hyperreactivity in Children (A Multi-Centered Study)

Abstract

Esen Demir, Levent Midyat, Demet Can, Ali Kanık, Nevin Uzuner, Figen Gülen, Nejat Aksu, Duygu Ölmez, Suna Asilsoy, Arzu Babayigit, Eylem Ulas Saz and Remziye Tanaç

The clinical effects of environmental pollution and climate change on respiratory health is a contemporary debate issue. In this study, the sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), particulate matter (PM 10 ) levels, and climate conditions in the city of Izmir, have been taken together with the patients with asthma or acute bronchiolitis, who admitted to the children’s emergency departments of the four university/education-research hospitals in Izmir. From September 1, 2007 until August 31, 2008, the 22,467 patients who admitted to these centers because of airway hyperreactivity, were of age 3.05±1.57 on the average, and the male/female ratio was 1.7. Among the patients, 79.3% were having acute bronchiolitis, and 20.7% an asthma attack. As SO 2 and PM 10 levels increase, the daily asthma attacks, patients with acute bronchiolitis, and total of patients with hyperactivity, were observed to increase (p<0.001). In addition, the numbers in the following five days after the increase of air pollution rate, were observed to increase statistically significantly (p<0.001). The number of asthma and acute bronchiolitis patients applying to emergency, was negatively correlated with daily average temperature, but positively correlated with relative humidity, actual air pressure, and sea- level pressure levels (p<0.001). Reflecting on the increase of asthma and acute bronchiolitis in developed societies, there is a necessity of effective reliefs such as effectively monitoring the within-city air quality, taking the industrial centers out of the city, promoting public transportation, and preserving the natural life.