Correlation of ambient particulate matters (PM10, PM2.5) with respiratory hospital admissions: a case-crossover study in Urmia, Iran

Exposure to high concentrations of ambient particulate matters (PMs) has a strong potential to cause adverse respiratory outcomes. Recent PMs increase due to the drying of Urmia Lake remains a major health challenge in the west of Iran. This study was conducted to assess the correlation of the exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 on respiratory hospitalization in Urmia, Iran. Daily hospital admissions and air pollutants data were collected during the study period. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the risks of hospitalization in exposure to PMs. There was a significant adverse effect between PM10 and asthma hospitalization based on the adjusted and unadjusted models. In the adjusted model, an interquartile range (IQR) increment of PM10 and PM2.5 increased the risk of admissions for asthma by [1.124 (1.062-1.191)] and [1.117 (1.055-1.184)], respectively. The estimated odds ratio for females was 1.5 times higher than males. A comparison of the associated risks of PM2.5 indicates a significant increase in the group aged 18-60 and >60 years. Not including asthma, a significant correlation was found between all causes of hospitalization and exposure to PM2.5 during cold seasons. Taken together, the results provide important insights into that exposure to ambient PMs were associated with an increased risk of respiratory hospitalization.

Automated summary

The study revealed a significant increase in respiratory hospitalization risk associated with exposure to PM10 and PM2.5, especially affecting asthma patients. Females had a 1.5 times higher risk of hospitalization than males, and the risk of exposure to PM2.5 significantly increased in the age groups of 18-60 and >60 years.