Exposure to acute air pollution and risk of bronchiolitis and otitis media for preterm and term infants

• Authors: Mariam S. Girguis, University of California Irvine; Matthew Strickland, Emory University; Xuefei Hu, Emory University; Yang Liu, Emory University; Howard Chang, Emory University; Itai Kloog, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Candice Belanoff, Boston University; Scott Bartell, Emory University; Veronica M. Vieira, University of California Irvine
• Journal Title: Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology
• Volume: Volume 28, Number 4
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Hybrid Model Option B | 2018-06-01, Pages 348-357
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-017-0006-9
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Environmental Sciences; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Toxicology; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; CASE-CROSSOVER; CHILDREN; HEALTH; LIFE; EPIDEMIOLOGY; INFECTIONS; EXPRESSION; POLLUTANTS; MORTALITY; ASTHMA

Abstract

Our aim is to estimate associations between acute increases in particulate matter with diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) concentrations and risk of infant bronchiolitis and otitis media among Massachusetts births born 2001 through 2008.Our case-crossover study included 20,017 infant bronchiolitis and 42,336 otitis media clinical encounter visits. PM2.5was modeled using satellite, remote sensing, meteorological and land use data. We applied conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) per 10-μg/m3increase in PM2.5.We assessed effect modification to determine the most susceptible subgroups. Infant bronchiolitis risk was elevated for PM2.5exposure 1 day (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.03-1.11) and 4 days (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.99-1.08) prior to clinical encounter, but not 7 days. Non-significant associations with otitis media varied depending on lag. Preterm infants were at substantially increased risk of bronchiolitis 1 day prior to clinical encounter (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.08-1.28) and otitis media 4 and 7 days prior to clinical encounter (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.02-1.16 and OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.02-1.15, respectively). In conclusion, preterm infants are most susceptible to infant bronchiolitis and otitis media associated with acute PM2.5exposures.