Acute and Subacute Effects of Urban Air Pollution on Cardiopulmonary Emergencies and Mortality: Time Series Studies in Austrian Cities

Manfred Neuberger, Hanns Moshammer and Daniel Rabczenko
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Manfred Neuberger: Institute of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Kinderspitalgasse 15, Austria
Hanns Moshammer: Institute of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Kinderspitalgasse 15, Austria
Daniel Rabczenko: National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, PL-00-791 Warsaw, ul. Chocimska 24, Poland

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-24

Abstract: Daily pollution data (collected in Graz over 16 years and in the Linz over 18 years) were used for time series studies (GAM and case-crossover) on the relationship with daily mortality (overall and specific causes of death). Diagnoses of patients who had been transported to hospitals in Linz were also available on a daily basis from eight years for time series analyses of cardiopulmonary emergencies. Increases in air pollutant levels over several days were followed by increases in mortality and the observed effects increased with the length of the exposure window considered, up to a maximum of 15 days. These mortality changes in Graz and Linz showed similar patterns like the ones found before in Vienna. A significant association of mortality could be demonstrated with NO 2 , PM 2.5 and PM 10 even in summer, when concentrations are lower and mainly related to motor traffic. Cardiorespiratory ambulance transports increased with NO 2 /PM 2.5 /PM 10 by 2.0/6.1/1.7% per 10 µg/m³ on the same day. Monitoring of NO 2 (related to motor traffic) and fine particulates at urban background stations predicts acute effects on cardiopulmonary emergencies and extended effects on cardiopulmonary mortality. Both components of urban air pollution are indicators of acute cardiopulmonary health risks, which need to be monitored and reduced, even below current standards.

Keywords: air pollution; particulate matter; nitrogen dioxide; emergencies; mortality; time series (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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