Ερευνητικό υλικό ΕΚΠΑ

Short-term effects of air pollution on total and cardiovascular
mortality - The confounding effect of influenza epidemics

Αγγλικά

Background: Air pollution is associated with total mortality. This
association may be confounded by uncontrolled time-varying risk factors
such as influenza epidemics.
Methods: We analyzed independent data on influenza epidemics from 7
European cities that also had data on mortality associated with
particulates (PM10). We used 10 methods to control for epidemics (5
derived from influenza data and 5 from respiratory mortality series) and
compared those results with analyses that did not control for these
epidemics.
Results: Adjustment for influenza epidemics increased the PM10 effect
estimate in most cases (% change in the pooled regression coefficient:
-1.9 to 38.9 for total mortality and 1.3 to 25.5 for cardiovascular
mortality). A 10-mug/m(3) increase in PM10 concentrations (lag 0-1) was
associated with a 0.48% (95% confidence interval = 0.27-0.70%)
increase in daily mortality unadjusted for influenza epidemics, whereas
under the various methods to control for epidemics the increase ranged
from 0.45% (0.26-0.69%) to 0.67% (0.46-0.89%). The corresponding
figures for cardiovascular mortality were 0.85% (0.53-1.18%) with no
adjustment and from 0.86% (0.53-1.19%) to 1.06% (0.74-1.39%) with
the methods of control.
Conclusions: The association between air pollution and mortality is not
weakened by control for influenza epidemic irrespective of the method
used. To adjust for influenza epidemics, one can use methods based on
respiratory mortality counts instead of counts of influenza cases if the
latter are not available. However, adjustment for influenza by any
method tested did not markedly alter the air pollution effect estimate.

2005

Touloumi, G
Samoli, E
Quenel, P
Paldy, A
Anderson, RH
and Zmirou, D
Galan, I
Forsberg, B
Schindler, C and
Schwartz, J
Katsouyanni, K

Epidemiology Monitor

Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

16

1

49-57

https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ede.0000142152.62400.13

10.1097/01.ede.0000142152.62400.13

https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/3092863