Abstract

Background: The impact of urban air pollution and temperature changes over health is a growing concern for epidemiologists all over the world and particularly for developing countries where fewer studies have been performed. Aim: The main goal of this paper is to analyze the short term effects of changes in temperature and atmospheric carbon monoxide on daily mortality in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Methods: We conducted a time series study focused on three age groups, gender, and cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, with lags up to four days and temporal variables as modifiers. Results: Temperature correlates positively with total mortality for summer months, with a RR = 1.0184 (95%, CI 1.0139, 1.0229) on the same day for each 1℃ increase. In winter this relationship reverses, as 1?C temperature increase exhibit a protective effect with a RR = 0.9894 (95%, CI 0.9864, 0.9924) at the 3 day lag. Carbon monoxide correlates always positively with mortality, with a RR = 1.0369 (95%, CI 1.0206, 1.0534) for each 1 ppm increase, on the previous day. Conclusions: Climate and pollution parameters measured in Buenos Aires City exhibit a correlation with health outcomes. The impacts of temperature and carbon monoxide vary with age and gender, being elderly the most susceptible subgroup. One day after an increase in CO of 1 ppm, about 4% extra deaths can be expected. The correlation found between increases in CO and mortality for greater lags may be ascribed to the role of CO as a chemical marker of urban air pollution, indicating the co-presence of other pollutants.

Highlights

  • The link between extreme temperatures and air pollution episodes and health is well documented, for extreme episodes [1,2]

  • The correlation found between increases in carbon monoxide (CO) and mortality for greater lags may be ascribed to the role of CO as a chemical marker of urban air pollution, indicating the co-presence of other pollutants

  • The results are presented in terms of Risk Ratio (RR), defined as the difference between death cases of both people who have been exposed and non exposed to the risk factor, with the formulae

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Summary

Introduction

The link between extreme temperatures and air pollution episodes and health is well documented, for extreme episodes [1,2]. Results: Temperature correlates positively with total mortality for summer months, with a RR = 1.0184 (95%, CI 1.0139, 1.0229) on the same day for each 1 ̊C increase. In winter this relationship reverses, as 1 ̊C temperature increase exhibit a protective effect with a RR = 0.9894 (95%, CI 0.9864, 0.9924) at the 3 day lag. Carbon monoxide correlates always positively with mortality, with a RR = 1.0369 (95%, CI 1.0206, 1.0534) for each 1 ppm increase, on the previous day. The correlation found between increases in CO and mortality for greater lags may be ascribed to the role of CO as a chemical marker of urban air pollution, indicating the co-presence of other pollutants

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