Hospitalizations For Respiratory Diseases Research Articles

A neuro-fuzzy model to predict respiratory disease hospitalizations arising from the effects of traffic-related air pollution in São Paulo

A neuro-fuzzy model to predict respiratory disease hospitalizations arising from the effects of traffic-related air pollution in São Paulo

Historical association between respiratory diseases hospitalizations and fire occurrence in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil

The occurrence of fires in the Pantanal wetland increases during drought conditions, resulting in higher aerosol emissions and deterioration of air quality. For the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the climatic effects on monthly Respiratory Disease Hospitalizations (RDH) was conducted in the Pantanal region. We investigated correlations among climatic variables and health indicators, focusing on three groups: RDH5 (<5 years old), RDH60 (≥60 years old), and RDH (total records) between 2003 and 2019 in all 17 municipalities of the region. We reported a 26–34% increase in RDH during drought years, as represented by the negative relationship between RDH and precipitation. Precipitation and humidity exert a primary control on fire occurrence and, hence, on respiratory illnesses in the Pantanal. Particulate material emissions are strongly related to increased fires and temperature across the region. Incidence rates among children and the elderly were four and three times higher, respectively, than general population, confirming the higher vulnerability of these groups. To effectively mitigate the risks and vulnerabilities associated with droughts, policies and action plans should prioritize vulnerable populations and implement targeted measures to reduce their exposure.

Nursing diagnoses and hospital readmission of patients with respiratory diseases: Findings from a case-control study.

The rate of readmission after hospitalisation for respiratory diseases has become a common and challenging clinical problem. Social and functional patient variables could help identify cases at high risk of readmission. The aim was to identify the nursing diagnoses that were associated with readmission after hospitalisation for respiratory disease in Spain. Case-control study within the cohort of patients admitted for respiratory disease during 2016-19 in a tertiary public hospital in Spain (n = 3781). Cases were patients who were readmitted within the first 30 days of discharge, and their controls were the remaining patients. All nursing diagnoses (n = 130) were collected from the electronic health record. They were then grouped into 29 informative diagnostic categories. Clinical confounder-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using logistic regression models. The readmission rate was 13.1%. The nursing diagnoses categories 'knowledge deficit' (OR: 1.61; 95%CI: 1.13-2.31), 'impaired skin integrity and risk of ulcer infection' (OR: 1.45; 95%CI: 1.06-1.97) and 'activity intolerance associated with fatigue' (OR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.21-2.01) were associated with an increased risk of suffering an episode of hospital readmission rate at 30% after hospital discharge, and this was independent of sociodemographic background, care variables and comorbidity. The nursing diagnoses assigned as part of the care plan of patients during hospital admission may be useful for predicting readmissions.

Thermal stress and hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory disease in Brazil

The growing body of scientific literature underscores the intricate relationship between meteorological conditions and human health, particularly in the context of extreme temperatures. However, conventional temperature-centric approaches often fall short in capturing the complexity of thermal stress experienced by individuals. Temperature alone, as a metric, fails to encompass the entirety of the thermal stress individuals face, necessitating a more nuanced understanding. In response to this limitation, climatologists have devised thermal indices—composite measures meticulously crafted to reflect the intricate interplay of meteorological factors influencing human perception of temperature. Recognizing the inadequacy of simplistic temperature-focused methodologies, our study aims to address the multifaceted nature of thermal stress. In this study, we explored the association between thermal indices and hospital admissions for circulatory and respiratory diseases in Brazil. We used an extensive dataset spanning 11 years (2008–2018) from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, encompassing a total of 23,791,093 hospitalizations for circulatory and respiratory diseases. We considered four distinct thermal indices—Discomfort Index (DI), Net Effective Temperature (NET), Humidex (H), and Heat Index (HI). We used an extension of the two-stage design with a case time series to assess this relationship. In the first stage, we applied a distributed lag non-linear modeling framework to create a cross-basis function. We next applied quasi-Poisson regression models adjusted by time-varying confounders. In the second stage, we applied meta-analysis with random effects to estimate the national relative risk (RR). Our findings suggest robust variations among the thermal indices under examination. These variations underscore the intricate nature of associations between temperature and health, with each index capturing distinct aspects of thermal conditions. Our results indicate that extreme thermal conditions, both at the low and high ends, are associated with increased risks of hospital admissions. The diverse impact observed among different indices emphasizes the complex interplay between various meteorological factors and their specific physiological consequences. This underscores the necessity for a comprehensive comprehension of temperature metrics to guide precise public health interventions, recognizing the multifaceted nature of temperature-health relationships.

AIR POLLUTION BY FINE PARTICULATE MATERIAL ON HOSPITALIZATION FOR RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN THE ELDERLY

Objective: To analyze the effects of air pollution exposure on hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in the elderly. Methods: this was an ecological time series study in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, during the years 2015 and 2016. Daily levels of fine particulate matter PM2.5 and carbon monoxide were estimated and made available by the National Institute for Space Research. Variables related to temperature, relative humidity and adjustments for temporal trend, seasonality and calendar effects were included in the stochastic model of the ARIMA class (integrated autoregressive moving averages). Results: During the period selected for data collection, there were 1556 hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in Cuiabá. It was verified with this study that the number of cases of respiratory hospitalizations in the elderly was higher between the months of May and September 2015, despite a smaller number of occurrences, in the same period of 2016. As for the monthly average number of hospitalizations of elderly people aged 60 or over, these ranged from 41 hospitalizations in December 2016 to 103 hospitalizations in May 2015. Conclusion: The present study found an association between an increase in PM2.5 and a greater number of hospitalizations of elderly people with 60 years or older due to respiratory diseases. These results are consistent with some other studies found in other investigations on the subject.

From Forgotten Pathogen to Target for New Vaccines: What Clinicians Need to Know about Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Older Adults.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is increasingly recognized as being implicated in acute illness in older adults, with a significant weight in hospitalizations for respiratory illness and death. By means of a best-evidence review, this paper aims to investigate whether RSV can be considered a forgotten pathogen in older patients, looking at trends in the literature volume and exploring possible epidemiological and clinical features underlying the focus given to it. We then present an assessment of its disease burden and present and future strategies for its reduction, particularly in light of the recent availability of new vaccines.

Health impact assessment of PM2.5 from uncovered coal trains in the San Francisco Bay Area: Implications for global exposures

Coal generates almost 40% of the world's electricity with 80 countries throughout the world using coal power. An inherent part of this generation is the rail transport of coal in uncovered cars, often up to a mile long. Existing studies document the subsequent increments of PM2.5 to the near-rail populations, which typically include a large number of economically disadvantaged residents and/or people of color. However, to date there is no assessment of the health implications of this stage in the use of coal. The present study quantifies such impacts on a region in the San Francisco Bay Area. The analysis shows important effects on mortality, hospitalization for cardiovascular and respiratory disease, asthma exacerbation, work loss, and days of restricted activity. Several of these outcomes exhibited a one to six percent increase over baseline. As such, it delineates the implications for the global effects of the transport of coal.

Effectiveness of a hand hygiene training intervention in improving knowledge and compliance rate among healthcare workers in a respiratory disease hospital

BackgroundPracticing hand hygiene (HH) is a crucial element of infection control, with healthcare workers (HCWs) playing a vital role in preventing the spread of infection. However, inadequate knowledge and non-compliance to HH protocols pose significant challenges in healthcare settings. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an HH training intervention in enhancing knowledge and staff compliance within a respiratory disease hospital. MethodA pre-and post-training study was conducted among the healthcare workers in a respiratory disease treatment facility. The intervention comprised a series of 3-hour training sessions conducted over five days, focusing on the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended guideline "Your Five Moments For Hand Hygiene." These sessions covered proper HH techniques and underscored the repercussions of inadequate compliance. Educational materials related to HH were displayed in prominent locations throughout the facility. The knowledge levels and compliance rate were assessed before and after the intervention. ResultThe intervention significantly improved HH knowledge levels and compliance rates among the participants. Marking a significant improvement, the compliance rate of HH protocols increased from 66.0% to 88.3% during the pre-to post-training period, with a concurrent increase in the mean knowledge score from 68.6% to 78.9%. ConclusionThis study underscores the potential of training and education in elevating HH compliance and knowledge among healthcare workers. The findings advocate that healthcare facilities routinely incorporate such interventions into their infection control programs, ultimately improving patient and healthcare worker safety.

Comparative analysis of antibiotic susceptibility patterns and clinical features of mucoid and non-mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections: a retrospective study.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a prevalent opportunistic pathogen that has close associations with both acute and chronic infections. However, there exists an insufficiency of accurate and comprehensive data pertaining to the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and clinical characteristics of both mucoid and non-mucoid strains of PA (mPA and non-mPA, respectively). From January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022, a thorough retrospective study was carried out to examine and compare the antibiotic susceptibility test outcomes and clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with mPA and non-mPA infections. This study investigated a cohort of 111 patients who were diagnosed with mPA infections, as well as 792 patients diagnosed with non-mPA infections. Significant demographic disparities, including gender (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.001), length of hospital stay (p < 0.001), diabetes (p = 0.043), and hypertension (p < 0.001), are evident between the mPA and non-mPA groups. The mPA group commonly necessitates hospitalization for respiratory system diseases, whereas the non-mPA group is associated with concomitant cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The mPA group demonstrates lower utilization rates of medical devices, such as Foley catheter (p < 0.001), nasogastric tube (p < 0.001), mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001), tracheostomy (p < 0.001), arterial and venous catheterization (p < 0.001), and exhibits superior organ function status, including lower incidences of hypoalbuminemia (p < 0.001), septic shock (p < 0.001), liver dysfunction (p < 0.001), renal failure (p < 0.001), and respiratory failure (p < 0.001). The non-mPA group is more vulnerable to infection with two or more bacterial pathogens compared to the mPA group, with the non-mPA group frequently resulting in Enterobacteriaceae infections and the mPA group being associated with fungal infections. Variations in antibiotic sensitivity are noted for Amikacin (p < 0.001), Ciprofloxacin (p < 0.001), Cefepime (p = 0.003), and Levofloxacin (p < 0.001) in antibiotic susceptibility testing, with resistance patterns closely tied to specific antibiotic usage. There are significant demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations and antibiotic susceptibility between mPA and non-mPA infections. It is crucial to emphasize these characteristics due to their significant role in preventing and treating PA infections.

Promoting eCo-responsibility, eCo-literacy, and eCo-centricity in emergency triAge Regarding climate changE consequences (I-CARE THE 3 Cs): study protocol

Background: Climate change, ambient air pollution, and non-optimal temperatures are recognized as a global health emergency. Many studies have highlighted increases in the number of emergency hospital admissions and hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases associated with non-optimal temperatures, unconventional gas reserves, particulate matter, grounded level O3, sulphur dioxide, or nitrogen dioxide exposure. Problem statement: According to the Swiss Health Observatory, 14% of the Swiss population used a hospital emergency department (ED) at least once in 2016, representing 1,7 million admissions or 4,718 admissions per day. In the face of evolving climate-associated reasons for presenting at the ED, the scales used for emergency triage are now proving insufficient for their task. It is becoming critical to introduce and implement more appropriate ED triage tools that incorporate risk factors such as ambient temperature and air pollution. It will also require raising nurses’ eco-literacy, eco-responsibility, and eco-centricity, which are currently rated as moderate to low, to ensure adaptation and/or mitigation in the face of this global threat. Future directions and perspectives for the nursing discipline: The nursing discipline must develop its eco-literacy, eco-responsibility, and eco-centricity to take social and professional responsibility for addressing the health-related impacts of climate change. To do so, the research project’s overall aim, which will be achieved in five stages, is to develop, pilot-test, and evaluate the feasibility of a complex nursing intervention named “Education Intervention promoting eCo-literacy, eCo-responsibility, and eCo-centricity in emergency triAge Regarding climate changE consequences (I-CARE the 3 Cs). The I-CARE the 3 Cs intervention aims to provide an adequate, effective, efficient, fair, safe, and patient-centered response to patients’ and nurses’ needs and to develop guidelines for dealing with the health consequences of climate change.

Situs Ambiguus Is Associated With Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Children With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

BackgroundPrimary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare disorder of motile cilia associated with situs abnormalities. At least 12% of patients with PCD have situs ambiguus (SA), including organ laterality defects falling outside normal arrangement [situs solitus (SS)] or mirror image inversion [situs inversus totalis (SIT)]. Research QuestionDo patients with PCD and SA have worse clinical outcomes compared to those with SS or SIT? Study Design and MethodsThis cross-sectional, multicenter study evaluated participants ≤21 years with PCD. Participants were classified as SA, including heterotaxy, or non-SA (SS or SIT). Markers of disease severity were compared between situs groups, adjusting for age at enrollment and severe CCDC39/CCDC40 genotype, using generalized linear models, logistic and Poisson regression. ResultsIn 397 participants with PCD (mean age 8.4 years, range 0.1-21), 42 were classified as SA, including 16 (38%) with complex cardiovascular malformations (CVM) or atrial isomerism, 13 (31%) with simple CVM, and 13 (31%) without CVM. Of these, 15 (36%) underwent cardiac surgery, 24 (57%) had an anatomic spleen abnormality, and 7 (17%) had both. The remaining 355 participants were non-SA, including 152 with SIT and 203 with SS. Overall, 70 (17%) participants had the severe CCDC39/CCDC40 genotype. Compared to non-SA participants, those with SA had lower median body mass index Z-scores (p=0.03), lower forced vital capacity Z-scores (p=0.01), more hospitalizations and intravenous antibiotic courses for acute respiratory infections during the 5-years before enrollment (p<0.01). Participants with CVM requiring surgery or anatomic spleen abnormalities had lower median body mass index Z-scores and more hospitalizations and intravenous therapies for respiratory illnesses compared to non-SA participants. InterpretationChildren with PCD and SA have worse nutritional and pulmonary outcomes with more hospitalizations for acute respiratory illnesses than those with SS or SIT combined. Poor nutrition and increased hospitalizations for respiratory infections in SA participants with PCD are associated with CVM requiring cardiac surgery and/or splenic anomalies. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02389049, NCT00323167

Association between air quality index and effects on emergency department visits for acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Several studies suggest that air pollution, particularly PM2.5, increases morbidity and mortality, Emergency Department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, no prior study in Southeastern Asia (SEA) has examined the effects of air pollutants on ED visits and health outcomes. This study focused on the association of the Air Quality Index (AQI) of PM2.5 and other pollutants' effects on ED visits, hospitalization, and unexpected deaths due to acute respiratory disease, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), acute heart failure (AHF), and stroke. We conducted a retrospective study with daily data from ED visits between 2018 and 2019 at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The AQI of air pollution data was collected from outdoor air quality from the Smoke Haze Integrated Research Unit and the Air Quality Index Visual Map. A distributed lag, non-linear and quasi-Poisson models were used to explore the relationship between air quality parameters and ED visits for each disease. 3,540 ED visits were recorded during the study period. The mean daily AQI of PM2.5 was 89.0 ± 40.2. We observed associations between AQI of PM2.5 and the ED visits due to ACS on the following day (RR = 1.023, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002-1.044) and two days after exposure (RR = 1.026, 95% CI: 1.005-1.047). Also, subgroup analysis revealed the association between AQI of PM2.5 and the ED visits due to pneumonia on the current day (RR = 1.071, 95% CI: 1.025-1.118) and on the following day after exposure (RR = 1.024, 95% CI: 1.003-1.046). AQI of PM2.5 associated with increased mortality resulted from ACS on lag day 3 (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.08-1.73). The AQI of PM10 is also associated with increased ED visits due to COPD/asthma and increased hospitalization in AHF. In addition, the AQI of O3 and AQI of NO2 is associated with increased ICU admissions and mortality in AHF. Short-term PM2.5 exposure escalates ED visits for ACS and pneumonia. PM10's AQI associates with COPD/asthma ED visits and AHF hospitalizations. AQI of O3 and NO2's link to increased ICU admissions and AHF mortality. Urgent action against air pollution is vital to safeguard public health.

Etiology of Acute Lower Respiratory Illness Hospitalizations Among Infants in 4 Countries.

Recent studies explored which pathogens drive the global burden of pneumonia hospitalizations among young children. However, the etiology of broader acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRIs) remains unclear. Using a multicountry study (Albania, Jordan, Nicaragua, and the Philippines) of hospitalized infants and non-ill community controls between 2015 and 2017, we assessed the prevalence and severity of viral infections and coinfections. We also estimated the proportion of ALRI hospitalizations caused by 21 respiratory pathogens identified via multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with bayesian nested partially latent class models. An overall 3632 hospitalized infants and 1068 non-ill community controls participated in the study and had specimens tested. Among hospitalized infants, 1743 (48.0%) met the ALRI case definition for the etiology analysis. After accounting for the prevalence in non-ill controls, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was responsible for the largest proportion of ALRI hospitalizations, although the magnitude varied across sites-ranging from 65.2% (95% credible interval, 46.3%-79.6%) in Albania to 34.9% (95% credible interval, 20.0%-49.0%) in the Philippines. While the fraction of ALRI hospitalizations caused by RSV decreased as age increased, it remained the greatest driver. After RSV, rhinovirus/enterovirus (range, 13.4%-27.1%) and human metapneumovirus (range, 6.3%-12.0%) were the next-highest contributors to ALRI hospitalizations. We observed substantial numbers of ALRI hospitalizations, with RSV as the largest source, particularly in infants aged <3 months. This underscores the potential for vaccines and long-lasting monoclonal antibodies on the horizon to reduce the burden of ALRI in infants worldwide.

Temperature variability associated with respiratory disease hospitalisations, hospital stays and hospital expenses the warm temperate sub-humid monsoon climate

ObjectivesThe abrupt change of climate has led to an increasing trend of hospitalised patients in recent years. This study aimed to analyse the temperature variability (TV) associated with respiratory disease (RD) hospitalisations, hospital stays and hospital expenses. Study designThe generalized linear model combined with distributed lag non-linear model was used to investigate the association between TV and RD hospitalisations. MethodsTV was determined by measuring the standard deviation of maximum and minimum temperatures for the current day and the previous 7 days. RD hospitalisations data were obtained from three major tertiary hospitals in Huaibei City, namely, the Huaibei People's Hospital, the Huaibei Hospital Of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Huaibei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. First, using a time series decomposition model, the seasonality and long-term trend of hospitalisations, hospital stays and hospital expenses for RD were explored in this warm temperate sub-humid monsoon climate. Second, robust models were used to analyse the association between TV and RD hospitalisations, hospital stays and hospital expenses. In addition, this study stratified results by sex, age and season. Third, using the attributable fraction (AF) and attributable number (AN), hospitalisations, hospital stays and hospital expenses for RD attributed to TV were quantified. ResultsOverall, 0.013% of hospitalisations were attributed to TV0-1 (i.e. TV at the current day and previous 1 day), corresponding to 220 cases, 1603 days of hospital stays and 1,308,000 RMB of hospital expenses. Females were more susceptible to TV than males, and the risk increased with longer exposure (the highest risk was seen at TV0-7 [i.e. TV at the current day and previous 7 days] exposure). Higher AF and AN were observed at ages 0–5 years and ≥65 years. In addition, it was also found that TV was more strongly linked to RD in the cool season. The hot season was positively associated with hospital stays and hospital expenses at TV0-3 to TV0-7 exposure. ConclusionsExposure to TV increased the risk of hospitalisations, longer hospital stays and higher hospital expenses for RD. The findings suggested that more attention should be paid to unstable weather conditions in the future to protect the health of vulnerable populations.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on private hospitals in Brazil.

To analyze the operational and/or financial impacts of regulatory measures implemented by the National Agency for Supplementary Health and government health departments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on a group of 118 private hospitals affiliated with the National Association of Private Hospitals. This study used a quantitative methodological design of descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective studies, utilizing secondary data provided by the National Agency for Supplementary Health. There was a -20.1% reduction in hospital admissions and hospital occupancy rate and a decrease of -4.4 percentage points in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margins. Additionally, the average length of hospital stay increased by +0.5, while total expenses for hospital leaves and total net revenue for hospital leaves increased by +39.4% and +23.6%, respectively. Comparing the participation of the different International Classification of Diseases, according to ICD-10 in 2019 and 2020, revealed the following variations in percentage points of hospitalizations. Hospitalizations for infectious diseases (including COVID-19), treatment of neoplasms, and pregnancy increased by +2.1, +2.4, and +1.2, respectively. However, hospitalizations for respiratory diseases decreased by -4.1. The most critical period of the pandemic required the redirection of activities to concentrate efforts on caring for COVID-19 cases. This situation highlighted the non-prioritization of primary care, as many problems presented by patients not affected by COVID-19 had to be referred to emergency services when and if appropriate.

The Burden of Wildfire Smoke on Respiratory Health in California at the Zip Code Level: Uncovering the Disproportionate Impacts of Differential Fine Particle Composition.

Wildfires constitute a growing source of extremely high levels of particulate matter that is less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5). Recently, toxicologic and epidemiologic studies have shown that PM2.5 generated from wildfires may have a greater health burden than PM2.5 generated from other pollutant sources. This study examined the impact of PM2.5 on hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in California between 2006 and 2019 using a health impact assessment approach that considers differential concentration-response functions (CRF) for PM2.5 from wildfire and non-wildfire sources of emissions. We quantified the burden of respiratory hospitalizations related to PM2.5 exposure at the zip code level through two different approaches: (a) naïve (considering the same CRF for all PM2.5 emissions) and (b) nuanced (considering different CRFs for PM2.5 from wildfires and from other sources). We conducted a Geographically Weighted Regression to analyze spatially varying relationships between the delta (i.e., the difference between the naïve and nuanced approaches) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). A higher attributable number of respiratory hospitalizations was found when accounting for the larger health burden of wildfire PM2.5. We found that, between 2006 and 2019, the number of hospitalizations attributable to PM2.5 may have been underestimated by approximately 13% as a result of not accounting for the higher CRF of wildfire-related PM2.5 throughout California. This underestimation was higher in northern California and areas with higher SVI rankings. The relationship between delta and SVI varied spatially across California. These findings can be useful for updating future air pollution guideline recommendations.

Two-Year Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Surfactant Therapy in Preterm Infants

The long-term effects of surfactant administration via a thin catheter (minimally invasive surfactant therapy [MIST]) in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome remain to be definitively clarified. To examine the effect of MIST on death or neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) at 2 years' corrected age. Follow-up study of a randomized clinical trial with blinding of clinicians and outcome assessors conducted in 33 tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units in 11 countries. The trial included 486 infants with a gestational age of 25 to 28 weeks supported with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Collection of follow-up data at 2 years' corrected age was completed on December 9, 2022. Infants assigned to MIST (n = 242) received exogenous surfactant (200 mg/kg poractant alfa) via a thin catheter; those assigned to the control group (n = 244) received sham treatment. The key secondary outcome of death or moderate to severe NDD was assessed at 2 years' corrected age. Other secondary outcomes included components of this composite outcome, as well as hospitalizations for respiratory illness and parent-reported wheezing or breathing difficulty in the first 2 years. Among the 486 infants randomized, 453 had follow-up data available (median gestation, 27.3 weeks; 228 females [50.3%]); data on the key secondary outcome were available in 434 infants. Death or NDD occurred in 78 infants (36.3%) in the MIST group and 79 (36.1%) in the control group (risk difference, 0% [95% CI, -7.6% to 7.7%]; relative risk [RR], 1.0 [95% CI, 0.81-1.24]); components of this outcome did not differ significantly between groups. Secondary respiratory outcomes favored the MIST group. Hospitalization with respiratory illness occurred in 49 infants (25.1%) in the MIST group vs 78 (38.2%) in the control group (RR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.54-0.81]) and parent-reported wheezing or breathing difficulty in 73 (40.6%) vs 104 (53.6%), respectively (RR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.63-0.90]). In this follow-up study of a randomized clinical trial of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome supported with CPAP, MIST compared with sham treatment did not reduce the incidence of death or NDD by 2 years of age. However, infants who received MIST had lower rates of adverse respiratory outcomes during their first 2 years of life. anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12611000916943.

Acute exposure to total and source-specific ambient fine particulate matter and risk of respiratory disease hospitalization in Kuwait

Many epidemiologic studies concerned with acute exposure to ambient PM2.5 have reported positive associations for respiratory disease hospitalization. However, few studies have investigated this relationship in Kuwait and extrapolating results from other regions may involve considerable uncertainty due to variations in concentration levels, particle sources and composition, and population characteristics. Local studies can provide evidence for strategies to reduce risks from episodic exposures to high levels of ambient PM2.5 and generating hypotheses for evaluating health risks from chronic exposures. Therefore, using speciated PM2.5 data from local samplers, we analyzed the impact of daily total and source-specific PM2.5 exposure on respiratory hospitalizations in Kuwait using a case-crossover design with conditional quasi-Poisson regression. Total and source-specific ambient PM2.5 were modeled using 0-5-day cumulative distributed lags. For total PM2.5, we observed a 0.16% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.05, 0.27%) increase in risk for respiratory hospitalization per 1 μg/m3 increase in concentration. Of the source factors assessed, dust demonstrated a statistically significant increase in risk (0.16%, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.29%), and the central estimate for regional PM2.5 was positive (0.11%) but not statistically significant (95% CI = −0.11, 0.33%). No effect was observed from traffic emissions and ‘other’ source factors. When hospitalizations were stratified by sex, nationality, and age, we found that female, Kuwaiti national, and adult groups had higher effect estimates. These results suggest that exposure to ambient PM2.5 is harmful in Kuwait and provide some evidence of differential toxicity and effect modification depending on the PM2.5 source and population affected.

Short-term effects of air pollution on hospital admissions of respiratory diseases in Hamadan, Iran, 2015 to 2021.

The short-term effects of air pollution on respiratory diseases have been reported in many countries. Urban areas are most affected because of the many sources of pollution and the large number of people living there. This study aims to investigate the effect of short-term exposure to air pollutants on respiratory hospital admissions in the city of Hamadan. In this ecological study, daily hospital admission data were collected from Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Hamadan. Daily information on air pollutants (CO, SO2, NO2, O3, PM2.5 and PM10) from Hamadan Department of Environment (DoE) organization and of climate factors from Hamadan Meteorological Office were collected. A negative binomial regression model was used to examine the effect of air pollution on daily respiratory hospitalizations. The effect of exposure to pollutants was measured whit different time lags (0-7 days). Furthermore, the effect of meteorological variables was controlled. Subgroup analyses were performed by sex and age group. A total of 12,454 hospitalizations for respiratory diseases were recorded. Results showed a strong and immediate effect of CO on respiratory hospital admissions with highest association at lag 7 (relative risk (RR) = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.33, 1.42). The effects of CO and SO2 on respiratory hospitalizations are greater for men than women. Regarding the short-term effects of PM2.5, SO2 and O3, adults (aged less than 65) were more prone to hospitalization for respiratory diseases. These results show that exposure to air pollution, particularly CO, may increase hospital admissions due to respiratory illness. So reducing the concentration of these pollutants can reduce the number of hospital admissions.

Health Effects of Cyclones: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies.

More intense cyclones are expected in the future as a result of climate change. A comprehensive review is urgently needed to summarize and update the evidence on the health effects of cyclones. We aimed to provide a systematic review with meta-analysis of current evidence on the risks of all reported health outcomes related to cyclones and to identify research gaps and make recommendations for further research. We systematically searched five electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) for relevant studies in English published before 21 December 2022. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, we developed inclusion criteria, screened the literature, and included epidemiological studies with a quantitative risk assessment of any mortality or morbidity-related outcomes associated with cyclone exposures. We extracted key data and assessed study quality for these studies and applied meta-analyses to quantify the overall effect estimate and the heterogeneity of comparable studies. In total, 71 studies from eight countries (the United States, China, India, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, Brazil), mostly the United States, were included in the review. These studies investigated the all-cause and cause-specific mortality, as well as morbidity related to injury, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, mental disorders, adverse birth outcomes, cancer, diabetes, and other outcomes (e.g., suicide rates, gender-based violence). Studies mostly included only one high-amplitude cyclone (cyclones with a Saffir-Simpson category of 4 or 5, i.e., Hurricanes Katrina or Sandy) and focused on mental disorders morbidity and all-cause mortality and hospitalizations. Consistently elevated risks of overall mental health morbidity, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as all-cause mortality or hospitalizations, were found to be associated with cyclones. However, the results for other outcomes were generally mixed or limited. A statistically significant overall relative risk of 1.09 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.13], 1.18 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.25), 1.15 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.18), 1.26 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.50) was observed for all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalizations, respiratory disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease hospitalizations, respectively, after cyclone exposures, whereas no statistically significant risks were identified for diabetes mortality, heart disease mortality, and preterm birth. High between-study heterogeneity was observed. There is generally consistent evidence supporting the notion that high-amplitude cyclones could significantly increase risks of mental disorders, especially for PTSD, as well as mortality and hospitalizations, but the evidence for other health outcomes, such as chronic diseases (e.g., CVDs, cancer, diabetes), and adverse birth outcomes remains limited or inconsistent. More studies with rigorous exposure assessment, of larger spatial and temporal scales, and using advanced modeling strategy are warranted in the future, especially for those small cyclone-prone countries or regions with low and middle incomes. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12158.