Associations Between Air Pollution Exposure and Daily Pediatric Outpatient Visits for Dry Eye Disease: A Time-Series Study in Shenzhen, China.

Jingfeng Mu,Dan Zeng,Meizhou Liu,Shaochong Zhang,Wanfu Ding,Jingjie Fan,Shuyuan Yu

doi:10.3389/ijph.2021.1604235

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the associations between air pollution exposure and pediatric outpatient visits for dry eye disease (DED) in Shenzhen, China.Methods: Generalized additive models were utilized to explore the acute effects of air pollution exposure on pediatric outpatient visits for DED.Results: Single-day lag exposures to NO2, O3, PM2.5, and PM10 were associated with DED outpatient visits at lag days 0, 6, 4 and 2. Relative risks (RRs) for DED given a 10-μg/m3 increase in NO2, O3, PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations were 1.062[95% confidence interval (CI) 1.003, 1.123], 1.015(95% CI 1.001, 1.031), 1.052(95% CI 1.001, 1.115), and 1.038 (95% CI 1.002, 1.076), respectively. RR for DED given a 10-μg/m3 increase in NO2 over cumulative lag days 0–1 was 1.075 (95% CI 1.009, 1.147), and RR for DED given a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM10 over cumulative lag days 0–4 was 1.051 (95% CI 1.003, 1.102).Conclusion: The observed associations between air pollution and outpatient visits for DED may provide evidence for policy makers to consider implementing measures to reduce the risk of DED owing to air pollution in China.

Highlights

Dry eye disease (DED) is a disease of the ocular surface, characterized by distress, visual impairment, and tear film instability [1]
The present study was conducted in Shenzhen, China, a city located in the south of Guangdong Province, comprises 10 districts covering an area of 1997.47 km2, and had a population of approximately 13.4 million as of 2019
19,170 children who visited either Hospital A or Hospital B during the study period were diagnosed with DED. 16,977 children and 2,193 children visited Hospital A and Hospital B owing to DED, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Dry eye disease (DED) is a disease of the ocular surface, characterized by distress, visual impairment, and tear film instability [1]. It is a multifactorial disease and is considered a disorder of the tear film caused by insufficient or excessive tear evaporation that damages the ocular surface and produces ocular discomfort [2]. DED (with a current prevalence of 17–21% in China) represents an important and growing public health concern [4]. The prevalence of DED among ophthalmic outpatients in 32 cities in China was 61.57% as of 2013 [3].

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Conclusion