Influences of the weather and air pollutants on cardiovascular disease in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been associated with meteorological variables and pollutant levels. However, these relationships have rarely been studied in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methods: From 1996 to 2000, biometeorological indices including meteorological variables such as temperature, relative humidity, and wind were used to measure thermal comfort in elderly people mortality ( > 65 years old), and CVD was quantified. Results: Statistical analysis showed a significant negative loading between CVD and meteorological variables as well as thermal comfort indices. The CVD curve was a U-shaped, showing higher value for cold stress than for heat stress. The results clearly show seasonal variations in CVD mortality rates, which were higher in winter. Meteorological variables were found to play an important role as well as through the thermal comfort indices. The air pollutants, PM10 and SO2, except ozone, presented positive loadings with CVD, albeit less than statistically significant. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.