Relationship between ambient air pollution and the hospital emergency room visits for hypertension in Beijing, China

Abstract

Objective To explore the risk effect of ambient air pollutants on the hospital emergency room (ER) visits in Beijing, China for hypertension {(International Classification of Diseases, 10th version (ICD-10): I10}. Methods We collected data for daily hospital ER visits for hypertension from the Peking University Third Hospital, daily data of ambient fine particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) from a fixed monitoring site at the Campus of Peking University, and data on the daily level of particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and gaseous air pollutants {sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)} from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. A time-stratified case {95% confidence interval (CI): 1.081–1.118}, 1.062 (95% CI: 1.050–1.074), 1.089 (95% CI: 1.059–1.119), and 1.239 (95% CI: 1.185–1.292) at average lag of 0 to 5 days (lag05) respectively. Conclusion These findings suggest that elevated levels of ambient air pollutants are associated with the increase in hospital ER visits for hypertension in Beijing, China. Objective To explore the risk effect of ambient air pollutants on the hospital emergency room (ER) visits in Beijing, China for hypertension {(International Classification of Diseases, 10th version (ICD-10): I10}. Methods We collected data for daily hospital ER visits for hypertension from the Peking University Third Hospital, daily data of ambient fine particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) from a fixed monitoring site at the Campus of Peking University, and data on the daily level of particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and gaseous air pollutants {sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)} from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. A time-stratified case {95% confidence interval (CI): 1.081–1.118}, 1.062 (95% CI: 1.050–1.074), 1.089 (95% CI: 1.059–1.119), and 1.239 (95% CI: 1.185–1.292) at average lag of 0 to 5 days (lag05) respectively. Conclusion These findings suggest that elevated levels of ambient air pollutants are associated with the increase in hospital ER visits for hypertension in Beijing, China.