Widinei Alves Fernandes

Potenciais impactos da variabilidade climática sobre a morbidade respiratória em crianças, lactentes e adultos

OBJECTIVE To determine whether climate variability influences the number of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in infants, children, and adults in the city of Campo Grande, Brazil. METHODS We used daily data on admissions for respiratory diseases, precipitation, air temperature, humidity, and wind speed for the 2004-2008 period. We calculated the thermal comfort index, effective temperature, and effective temperature with wind speed (wind-chill or heat index) using the meteorological data obtained. Generalized linear models, with Poisson multiple regression, were used in order to predict hospitalizations for respiratory disease. RESULTS The variables studied were (collectively) found to show relatively high correlation coefficients in relation to hospital admission for pneumonia in children (R² = 68.4%), infants (R² = 71.8%), and adults (R² = 81.8%). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate a quantitative risk for an increase in the number of hospitalizations of children, infants, and adults, according to the increase or decrease in temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and thermal comfort index in the city under study.

INDICADORES AMBIENTAIS E DOENÇAS RESPIRATÓRIAS EM CRIANÇAS

Resumen pt: Investigar os efeitos causados pela poluicao atmosferica, ozonio, na morbidade por doencas respiratorias em criancas entre 2005 e 2008. Foram obtidos os ...

Qualidade do ar e transtornos respiratórios agudos em crianças - doi:10.5020/18061230.2011.p95

in children. Methods: An ecological study of time series conducted in public health units in the city of Campo Grande-MS, Brazil, from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2007. Daily data of O3 (ozone) were analyzed and, as outcome variables, 16,981 emergency pediatric consultations for respiratory symptoms; including in control model the variables related to time trend; seasonality; minimum, maximum and average temperature; relative humidity; rainfall and respiratory infections. We determined the Pearson correlation coefficient of respiratory diseases in relation to climatic parameters for the years 2004-2007. Results: Only O3 had a positive and statistically significant association, both with all emergency care attendances for respiratory complaints, as with these due to symptoms in lower airways. The daily average concentrations of O3 did not exceed the recommended daily limits. Conclusion: We found associations between air pollution and the number of emergency pediatric consultations for respiratory causes in Campo Grande, although the levels of monitored pollutant ozone remained below recommended levels throughout the study period.