The relationship between daily asthma attendance, weather parameters, spore count and pollen count.

Abstract

Summary: The daily incidence of asthma as measured by the attendance of children with asthma in the season of low pollen numbers (April to September) is compared with total casualty attendance figures, the atmospheric pollen and fungal spore counts, and with climatic conditions including atmospheric ionization.A multiple regression computer programme with up to three days lag for the effect of climate factors on asthma attendance and fungal and pollen counts was used to demonstrate association between these factors. Statistical analysis of this data shows that there is a significant association between reduction in asthma attendance (p < 0.05) and increased atmospheric ionization three days before, increased barometric pressure two days before, and increased temperature one day before. This association accounts for 16.18% of the daily variation in asthma attendance. There is also a significant association between increased fungal spore counts and increased asthma (p < 0.05). In this April to September period there is no association between pollen grain counts and asthma. Climate factors, as might be expected, are significantly associated with variation in pollen (26.44%) and fungal spore numbers (21.74%). With the exception of atmospheric ionization three days before (being associated with both a reduction in fungal spore count and a reduction in asthma attendance), there is no coincidence between the climate factors associated with variation in air spora numbers and those associated with variation in attendance with asthma. It would appear that, in the Perth area between April and September, variation in climate factors and fungal spore counts are associated with variation in the asthma attendance rate.