Ambient Sulphur Dioxide and Female ED Visits for Migraine

Ambient sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentrations may affect the number of female emergency department (ED) visits for migraine. ED visits diagnosed as migraine among females in two cities in Canada, Toronto (N = 704) and Ottawa (N = 3, 358), were analyzed. In the study case-crossover design was used. Conditional logistic regression was realized to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) relative to an increase in an interquartile range (IQR, in Toronto IQR = 2.9 ppb, in Ottawa IQR = 3.9 ppb) of sulphur dioxide. In the constructed conditional logistic regression models, temperature and relative humidity were adjusted in the form of natural splines. In Toronto positive and statistically significant associations of sulphur dioxide with migraine ED visits were obtained: all ages, OR = 1.04 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.08); age group [15, 50], OR = 1.05 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.09). In Ottawa positive correlations were observed: all ages, OR = 1.05 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.13); age group [15, 50], OR = 1.06 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.15). The results suggest that female migraine may be affected by ambient sulphur dioxide

Ambient ozone and bacterium Streptococcus: A link between cellulitis and pharyngitis

Objectives: Ambient air pollution, as many publications indicate, may have associations with skin condition. The aim of this study has been to examine such common relations for cellulitis and pharyngitis. The hypothesis is that ambient ground-level ozone may help bacteria to penetrate skin or throat. Material and Methods: We used the emergency department (ED) visits data in Edmonton, Canada for the period from 1992 (April) to 2002 (March). We retrieved all the diagnosed ED visits for cellulitis and pharyngitis. Case-crossover design was used to study potential association between ozone and those visits. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: The results are reported for the interquartile range (IQR = 17.9 ppb) for 8 h maximum ozone. Positive and statistical significant results were obtained as follows: for lags from 0 to 3 (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.03–1.12, lag 2); for lags from 0 to 6 days (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03–1.12, lag 3); for lags from 0 to 4 (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03–1.09, for lag 2 and 3). Conclusions: The findings suggest the response to exposure to ambient ground-level ozone for skin and pharyngitis considered separately and jointly

Sulfur Dioxide and Emergency Department Visits for Stroke and Seizure

The purpose of this study was to assess an association between ambient sulfur dioxide and the number of emergency department (ED) visits for ischemic stroke and seizure. The study used data collected in a Vancouver (Canada) hospital in the years 1999–2003. Daily ED visits diagnosed as ministroke, stroke, or seizure were investigated using the case-crossover technique. Conditional logistic regression models were applied to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The models included temperature and relative humidity in the form of natural splines. The results were reported for an increase in interquartile range ((IQR), IQR = 1.9 ppb for SO2). Positive and statistically significant associations were obtained for SO2 and ischemic stroke for all patients (OR = 1.12; CI 1.02, 1.23; lag 3) and for female patients (OR = 1.17; CI 1.01, 1.33; lag 0). In the case of ED visits for seizure, for female patients the results were also statistically significant (OR = 1.15; CI 1.02, 1.28; lag 1 and OR = 1.18; CI 1.05, 1.32; lag 2). These findings suggest that cases of ischemic cerebrovascular accidents are associated with acute exposure to ambient sulfur dioxide

Non-specific abdominal pain and air pollution: a novel association.

We studied whether short-term exposure to air pollution was associated with non-specific abdominal pain in epidemiologic and animal studies. Patients visiting the emergency department with non-specific abdominal pain were identified in Edmonton (1992 to 2002, n = 95,173) and Montreal (1997 to 2002, n = 25,852). We calculated the daily concentrations for ozone (O(3)), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), carbon monoxide (CO), and particles <10 (PM(10)) or <2.5 (PM(2.5)) µm. A case crossover study design was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) associated with an increase in the interquartile range of the air pollutants. We investigated differential effects by age and sex. Mice were gavaged with urban particle extracts. In animal models, colonic motility was tested, and visceral abdominal pain was measured using a writhing test, and behavioral response to oil of mustard and neostigmine. Motility and pain was measured acutely (1.5 hours after gavage) and chronically (7-days and 21-days after gavage). Emergency department visits for non-specific abdominal pain were primarily by women between the ages of 15-24 years. Individuals aged 15 to 24 years were at increased risk of non-specific abdominal pain in Edmonton (same day CO: OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.02-1.06; and NO(2): OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.03-1.09). The risk of air pollution among 15-24 year olds in Montreal was significantly positive (same day CO: OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.05-1.17; NO(2): OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01-1.16; SO(2): OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.10-1.25; PM(2.5): OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04-1.15). Abdominal pain was increased by an acute gavage of pollution extract but not to chronic exposure to pollutants. Colonic transit was delayed following chronic but not acute exposure with the pollutants. Epidemiological and animal data suggest that short-term exposure to air pollution may trigger non-specific abdominal pain in young individuals

Factorization methods applied to characterize the sources of volatile organic compounds in Montreal, Quebec

Objectives The study objective was to assemble emission characteristics of the sources of the ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to elaborate methods of organizing them into the sources’ chemical profiles. Material and Methods The UNMIX – sensor modeling method from the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) – was used to process the VOC concentration data acquired over the years 2000–2009 for 175 VOC species in 4 air quality monitoring stations in Montreal, Quebec. Results The method enabled to assess VOC emissions from the typically distributed sources existing in urban environment and VOC occurrences characterizing the local, or point-like, sources. The distributed sources were inextricably associated with hydrocarbons from exhaust, heavier hydrocarbons from contaminated urban soil, fugitive evaporations of gasoline and liquefied petroleum gases (LPG), leakage from the industrial and commercial use of solvents, and the inert, ozone depleting gases permeating urban atmosphere. The sources’ profiles were charted involving 60–120 VOC species per source. Spatial distribution of the sources was examined. Conclusions The UNMIX application and the source profiling methods, by building robust chemical profiles of VOC sources, provided information that can be used to assign the measured VOC emissions to physical sources. This, in turn, provides means of assessing the impact of environmental policies, on one hand, and of industrial activities on the other hand on VOC air pollution

UNMIX Methods Applied to Characterize Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Toronto, Ontario

UNMIX, a sensor modeling routine from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was used to model volatile organic compound (VOC) receptors in four urban sites in Toronto, Ontario. VOC ambient concentration data acquired in 2000–2009 for 175 VOC species in four air quality monitoring stations were analyzed. UNMIX, by performing multiple modeling attempts upon varying VOC menus—while rejecting the results that were not reliable—allowed for discriminating sources by their most consistent chemical characteristics. The method assessed occurrences of VOCs in sources typical of the urban environment (traffic, evaporative emissions of fuels, banks of fugitive inert gases), industrial point sources (plastic-, polymer-, and metalworking manufactures), and in secondary sources (releases from water, sediments, and contaminated urban soil). The remote sensing and robust modeling used here produces chemical profiles of putative VOC sources that, if combined with known environmental fates of VOCs, can be used to assign physical sources’ shares of VOCs emissions into the atmosphere. This in turn provides a means of assessing the impact of environmental policies on one hand, and industrial activities on the other hand, on VOC air pollution

Age-specific frequency of admissions to emergency departments (ED) for non-specific abdominal pain stratified by sex.

<p>Age-specific frequency of admissions to emergency departments (ED) for non-specific abdominal pain stratified by sex.</p