Association Between Asthma-Related Emergency Department Visits and Pollen Concentration in the Bronx, 2001-2008

Abstract

S A T U R D A Y 198 Association Between Asthma-Related Emergency Department Visits and Pollen Concentration in the Bronx, 2001-2008 Sayantani B. Sindher, MD, Sunit Jariwala, MD, Gabriele De Vos, MD, Jennifer Toh, Anna Tavdi, BA, David L. Rosenstreich, MD, FAAAAI; Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Division of Allergy/Immunology, Albert Einstein / Montefiore Medical Center, NY. RATIONALE: To examine the relationship between asthma-related emergency department visits (AREDV) and the effect of pollen and mold concentrations in a high asthma prevalence area, Bronx, NY. METHODS: The numbers of daily adult and pediatric AREDV from 2001-2008 were obtained from two Bronx hospitals (Montefiore-Moses and Montefiore-Weiler). AREDV data were acquired through the Clinical Looking Glass data analysis software, which allowed a retrospective search of asthma-related patients by ICD-9 code. Daily counts for tree, grass and weed pollen along with mold (fungal spore) from 3/2001 to 10/ 2008 were obtained from the Armonk counting station located in close proximity to the Bronx. RESULTS: From 2001-2008, there were a total of 42,065 AREDV. In a prior analysis, a large spring increase in AREDV significantly correlated with high tree pollen counts.When theweed, grass and tree pollen datawas combined, therewas a significant positive correlation betweenAREDVand total pollen counts (rho50.3, p<0.001). An average of a 50% increase in AREDVwas found (frommean 10.4 +/SD 6.1 to 15.8 +/SD 8.1) if pollen counts exceeded 100 grains/mm (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrates a significant positive correlation between AREDVand total pollen counts in the Bronx. This may have prognostic value in anticipating increased asthma exacerbations. Early warning of pollen peaks based on ongoing surveillance could potentially guide clinical practice and minimize asthma-related emergency department visits in the Bronx.