Association between short-term exposure to air pollution and outpatient and emergency visits for neurological diseases in Conghua District, Guangzhou from 2015 to 2022
- VernacularTitle:2015—2022年广州市从化区大气污染物短期暴露与神经系统疾病门急诊就诊的关联
- Author:
Lu LUO
1
;
Zhi LI
2
;
Yanmei CAI
2
;
Chunming HE
2
;
Yi ZHENG
1
;
Sirong WANG
1
;
Ruijun XU
1
;
Yuewei LIU
1
;
Qinqin JIANG
2
Author Information
- Publication Type:Selectedarticle
- Keywords: air pollution; short-term exposure; neurological disease; outpatient and emergency department visit; time-stratified case-crossover design
- From: Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(11):1307-1314
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Background Exposure to air pollutants increases the risk of diseases in multiple systems, including respiratory and cardiovascular systems, yet its association with neurological diseases remains unclear. Objective To quantitatively evaluate the association between short-term exposure to air pollutants and outpatient and emergency visits for neurological diseases, identify potential susceptible populations, and quantify associated disease burden. Methods Daily 24-hour average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO), daily maximum 8-hour average concentration of ozone (O3), daily meteorological data (24-hour average temperature, 24-hour average relative humidity), and data on daily outpatient and emergency department visits for neurological diseases from two hospitals in Conghua District, Guangzhou, China, were collected from 2015 to 2022. A time-stratified case-crossover design was adopted, and a conditional Poisson regression model was constructed to analyze the association between air pollution exposure and neurological disease visits. Two-pollutant models and sensitivity analysis were used to validate model stability. Stratified analyses by season (cold season: from November to March; warm season: from April to October), sex (male, female), and age (≤45 years, 46–60 years, ≥61 years) were performed to identify vulnerable group. Additionally, the number and proportion of neurological disease visits attributable to short-term air pollutant exposure were calculated. Results A total of 72 673 outpatient and emergency department visits for neurological diseases were included during the study period. Most of the patients were middle-aged and elderly individuals (69.89% were over 45 years old) and females (60.25%). The results of single-pollutant models showed that for each interquartile range (IQR) increase in exposure to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3, the risk of outpatient and emergency department visits for neurological diseases increased by 7.54% (95%CI: 4.69%, 10.46%), 6.66% (95%CI: 3.92%, 9.46%), 16.72% (95%CI: 10.58%, 23.19%), 8.12% (95%CI: 4.82%, 11.53%), 5.60% (95%CI: 2.34%, 8.97%), and 6.11% (95%CI: 2.91%, 9.40%), respectively. The results of the two-pollutant model showed that the association between PM2.5 and SO2 exposure and outpatient and emergency department visits for neurological diseases were relatively stable. The stratified analyses showed that the effect of SO2 was stronger in the cold season. It was estimated that 8.32% (95%CI: 5.55%, 10.96%) and 6.65% (95%CI: 4.27%, 8.96%) of the outpatient and emergency department visits were attributable to short-term exposure to SO2 and PM2.5, respectively. Conclusion Exposure to PM2.5 and SO2 is associated with increased risks of outpatient and emergency visits for neurological diseases. SO2 shows stronger effects during the cold season, and exposure to air pollution contributes to up to 8.32% of neurological disease visits.
