Association between air pollution and asthma admission among children in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of air pollutants with hospital admission for childhood asthma in Hong Kong. METHODS: Data on hospital admissions for asthma, influenza and total hospital admissions in children aged ≤18 years at all Hospital Authority hospitals during 1997–2002 were obtained. Data on daily mean concentrations of particles with aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (i. e. PM(10)) and <2.5 μm (i. e. PM(2.5)), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), sulphur dioxide (SO(2)), and ozone (O(3)) and data on meteorological variables were associated with asthma hospital admissions using Poisson's regression with generalized additive models for correction of yearly trend, temperature, humidity, day-of-week effect, holiday, influenza admissions and total hospital admission. The possibility of a lag effect of each pollutant and the interaction of different pollutants were also examined. RESULTS: The association between asthma admission with change of NO(2), PM(10), PM(2.5) and O(3) levels remained significant after adjustment for multi-pollutants effect and confounding variables, with increase in asthma admission rate of 5.64% (3.21–8.14) at lag 3 for NO(2), 3.67% (1.52–5.86) at lag 4 for PM(10), 3.24% (0.93–5.60) at lag 4 for PM(2.5) and 2.63% (0.64–4.67) at lag 2 for O(3). Effect of SO(2) was lost after adjustment. CONCLUSION: Ambient levels of PM(10), PM(2.5), NO(2) and O(3) are associated with childhood asthma hospital admission in Hong Kong

Health effects of ambient air pollution – recent research development and contemporary methodological challenges

Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause a variety of adverse health outcomes. Air quality in developed countries has been generally improved over the last three decades. However, many recent epidemiological studies have consistently shown positive associations between low-level exposure to air pollution and health outcomes. Thus, adverse health effects of air pollution, even at relatively low levels, remain a public concern. This paper aims to provide an overview of recent research development and contemporary methodological challenges in this field and to identify future research directions for air pollution epidemiological studies

Childhood cancer incidence in Queensland, 1979-88

Cancer risk is increased substantially in adult kidney transplant recipients, but the long-term risk of cancer in childhood recipients is unclear. Using the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry, the authors compared overall and site-specific incidences of cancer after transplantation in childhood recipients with population-based data by using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). Among 1734 childhood recipients (median age 14 years, 57% male, 85% white), 289 (16.7%) developed cancer (196 nonmelanoma skin cancers, 143 nonskin cancers) over a median follow-up of 13.4 years. The 25-year cumulative incidences of any cancer were 27% (95% confidence intervals 24-30%), 20% (17-23%) for nonmelanoma skin cancer, and 14% (12-17%) for nonskin cancer (including melanoma). The SIR for nonskin cancer was 8.23 (95% CI 6.92-9.73), with the highest risk for posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (SIR 45.80, 95% CI 32.71-62.44) and cervical cancer (29.4, 95% CI 17.5-46.5). Increasing age at transplantation (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] per year 1.10, 95% CI 1.06-1.14), white race (aHR 3.36, 95% CI 1.61-6.79), and having a functioning transplant (aHR 2.27, 95% CI 1.47-3.71) were risk factors for cancer. Cancer risk, particularly for virus-related cancers, is increased substantially after kidney transplantation during childhood

Ambient air pollution and hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory disease in Melbourne, Australia

Background: This paper presents the findings of a time-series analysis of the health effects of air pollution in Melboume, Australia. Objectives: To examine the effects of 03, N02, fine particles and CO on daily emergency hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory disease and asthma between 1994 and 1997. Methods: The methodological approach utilises GAM with Poisson regression. Meteorological conditions, influenza epidemics and temporal factors such as day of the week, public holidays and school holidays were controlled for in the analysis. Results: Significant positive associations were observed for N02, particles, CO and 03 in the 0-14 age group for admissions for total respiratory disease and asthma. In the 15-64 year age group, positive associations were observed for all pollutants for all health out- comes. In the 65+ age group significant associations were observed for all pollutants for admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Admissions for asthma in the 0-14 age group showed a 14.8% increase in risk of admission per unit increase in bsp (equiva- lent to 20 ug/m3 PM2.5). Controlling for N02 in a multi-pollutant analysis reduced the size and significance of the particle effect. Effects for particles were stronger in the cool sea- son while associations with N02 were strongest during the warm months. Ozone effects were strongest during the warm months. The most consistent effects with CO were asso- ciated with admissions for cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease. Conclusions: Current levels of ambient pollution in Melboume are making a significant contribution to daily variations in emergency hospital admissions for respiratory and car- diovascular disease

Effects of ambient particle pollution on daily mortality in Melbourne, 1991-1996

This paper presents the results of a study in Melbourne, Australia, of the short-term effects of ambient fine particle pollution on daily mortality occurring between 1991 and 1996. The methodological approach used Poisson regression and Generalized Additive Models (GAM) with LOESS smoothing to control for temporal and meteorological effects. The association between particles and increases in daily mortality was examined using nephelometry data (bsp, mean 24 h average = 0.26 x 10-4 m-1, mean 1 h maximum = 0.60 x 10-4 m-1), PM2.5 (24 h mean = 9.42 ?g/m3) and PM10 (24 h mean = 19 ?g/m3). Both the PM10 and PM2.5 data were estimated from nephelometry data using previously derived relationships for the Melbourne airshed. Significant positive associations between the particle measures considered and all cause and respiratory mortality were found in the warm season (November-March). A 1 x 10-4 m-1 increase in maximum 1-h bsp levels was associated with a 2.19% (95% CI = 0.01-4.43%) increase in risk of death for all cause mortality and a 10.40% (95% CI = 2.44-18.97%) increase in risk for respiratory mortality in the warm season. A 1 ?g/m3 increase in 24-h PM2.5 in the warm season was associated with a 0.38% (95% CI = 0.06-0.70%) increase in risk of death for all cause mortality and a 1.18% (95% CI = 0.05-2.32%) increase in risk for respiratory mortality. For PM10, a 1 ?g/m3 increase was associated with an increased risk of 0.18% (95% CI = 0.03-0.33%) for all cause mortality and 0.59% (95% CI = 0.06-1.13%) for respiratory mortality. Significant associations were also found in the 65+ age group in the warm season. However, for these warm periods, the effects of ozone (average 1 h maximum = 127 ppb) and nitrogen dioxide (average 1 h maximum = 70.7 ppb) were also significant and, due to high correlations between these pollutants, it was not possible to separate the particle effects from those of O3 and NO2. Sulfur dioxide was not examined as concentrations of this pollutant in Melbourne are very low (max 1 h = 15-24 ppb, annual average 0.8 ppb). Comparison with other Australian studies in Sydney and Brisbane indicates different results for particle pollution

Associations between outdoor air pollution and daily mortality in Brisbane, Australia

The results of several studies have indicated significant associations between daily mortality and air pollution, with little evidence of a threshold. In the current study, the authors examined daily mortality during the period 1987–1993 for the Brisbane region, which is the fastest-growing urban region in Australia (annual average concentration of particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter = 27 μg/m, maximum hourly sulfur dioxide level = 60 ppb, and maximum daily ozone hourly level = 118 ppb). The authors conducted a general estimating equation analysis, and they used autoregressive Poisson models for daily mortality to examine associations with air pollution variables. The authors used research methods developed in the Air Pollution on Health, European Approach (APHEA), project to control confounding effects of weather and temporal trends. The air pollutants examined included particulate pollution (measured by nephelometry [bsp data]), sulfur dioxide, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. The results indicated that the associations between total daily mortality and particulate levels found in studies in the United States and other countries may be applicable in Brisbane, Australia. Ozone levels were also associated significantly with total daily mortality. There was little evidence of interaction between the ozone effects (mainly in summer) and particulates or with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The associations between pollutants (ozone, bsp) and daily mortality were significant only for individuals who were older than 65 y of age; positive associations were also found with cardiovascular disease categories, and the regression coefficients–when significant–were higher than those for total mortality. The results indicated a possible threshold for ozone levels, but a similar result for particulate levels was not apparent

Gymnocoronis spilanthoides

One of the EPPO (European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization) data sheets on pests recommended for regulation, being an output from an expert working group that risk analysed G. spilanthoides for the EPPO region in October 2016