@article{3099639,
    title = "Short-term effects of nitrogen dioxide on mortality: an analysis within
the APHEA project",
    author = "Samoli, E. and Aga, E. and Touloumi, G. and Nislotis, K. and Forsberg, and B. and Lefranc, A. and Pekkanen, J. and Wojtyniak, B. and Schindler, C. and and Niciu, E. and Brunstein, R. and Fikfak, M. Dodic and Schwartz, J. and and Katsouyanni, K.",
    journal = "European Respiratory Journal",
    year = "2006",
    volume = "27",
    number = "6",
    pages = "1129-1137",
    publisher = "EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY SOC JOURNALS LTD",
    issn = "0903-1936, 1399-3003",
    doi = "10.1183/09031936.06.00143905",
    keywords = "air pollution; heterogeneity; modelling; mortality; nitrogen dioxide",
    abstract = "The short-term effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on total,
cardiovascular and respiratory mortality in 30 European cities
participating in the Air Pollution on Health: a European Approach
(APHEA)-2 project were investigated.
The association was examined using hierarchical models implemented in
two stages. In the first stage, data from each city were analysed
separately, whereas in the second stage, the city-specific air pollution
estimates were regressed on city-specific covariates to obtain overall
estimates and to explore sources of possible heterogeneity.
A significant association of NO2 with total, cardiovascular and
respiratory mortality was found, with stronger effects on cause-specific
mortality. There was evidence of confounding in respiratory mortality
with black smoke and sulphur dioxide. The effect of NO2 on total and
cardiovascular mortality was observed mainly in western and southern
European cities, and was larger when smoking prevalence was lower and
household gas consumption was higher. The effect of NO2 on respiratory
mortality was higher in cities with a larger proportion of elderly
persons in the population and higher levels of particulate matter with a
50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 mu m.
The results of this large study are consistent with an independent
effect of nitrogen dioxide on mortality, but the role of nitrogen
dioxide as a surrogate of other unmeasured pollutants cannot be
completely ruled out."
}