PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Milda Nanushi
AU  - Agron Deliu
AU  - Hasan Hafizi
AU  - Jolanda Nikolla
AU  - Luljata Cakerri
TI  - Short term impact of air pollution on asthma and COPD in Tirana during 1 year period
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA3415
DP  - 2015 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA3415
VI  - 46
IP  - suppl 59
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA3415.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA3415.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2015 Sep 01; 46
AB  - Objectives: Tirana has high levels of air pollution. AQHI (air quality health index) is >7 (high risk) in ∼ 200 days/ year and PM10 over the WHO recommandations almost 1/3 of the year. We evaluated the short term relationship betwen air pollutant concentrations and emergency hospital visits for asthma and COPD.Methods: We measured the levels of particulate mater air pollution PM10, PM 2,5, and gases NO2, O3 and CO in 2011 at central outdoor monitoring sites in Tirana, Albania. We evaluated associations between daily pollution levels and hospital emergency room visits for asthma and COPD in adults (<64 years) and the elderly (≥65). Poisson regression was used for temperature, humidity, and radiation.Results: The effect of particles was linear and significant . An increase of PM10 > 50 µg/m3 was accompanied by an increase of 3,4% (p < 0.05) of emergency-room visits for COPD. The role NO2 was notable, with 2,3% increase of COPD and asthma visits over NO2 levels of 21 μg/m3(p < 0.05). The effect of SO2 was also linear, but not statistically significant.Conclusions: Current levels of air pollutants in Tirana have a big impact on short term morbidity for asthma and COPD. This effect among elderly patients is more immediate.