Air pollution and hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases in Ahvaz, Iran

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Cardiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality in Iran.
• Air pollution is a growing concern in urban environments like Ahwaz.
• Understanding the link between air quality and cardiovascular events is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between daily air pollution levels and cardiovascular hospital admissions in Ahwaz, Iran.
• To identify specific air pollutants linked to increased cardiovascular morbidity.
• To provide evidence for air quality management strategies in the region.

Main Methods:

• Utilized daily data on cardiovascular hospital admissions (ICD-10) and air pollutants from 2008-2018.
• Employed quasi-Poisson regression with linear distributed lag models.
• Adjusted for temporal trends, seasonality, meteorological factors, weekdays, and holidays.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in cardiovascular admissions were observed with elevated ozone (O₃) levels in the total and female populations.
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and nitric oxide (NO) were associated with increased cardiovascular hospitalizations across various demographic groups.
• Carbon monoxide (CO) showed a significant link to cardiovascular admissions in the 65-74 age group.
• Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) was also significantly associated with increased cardiovascular disease hospitalizations.

Conclusions:

• Short-term exposure to air pollution has a detrimental impact on cardiovascular health in Ahwaz.
• Specific pollutants like O₃, NO₂, NO, CO, and SO₂ contribute to cardiovascular morbidity.
• The findings underscore the necessity of implementing air pollution control policies to mitigate cardiovascular disease burden.