TY - JOUR T1 - The relation between air pollution and respiratory tract diseases by months in Duzce City of Turkey JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 38 IS - Suppl 55 SP - p4198 AU - Ege Gulec Balbay AU - Oner Balbay AU - Peri Arbak AU - Ali Nihat Annakkaya Y1 - 2011/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4198.abstract N2 - Aim: To investigate the relationship between levels of particulate matter (PM10) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) and the patients with COPD, asthma, respiratory tract infection (respiratory tract disease-RTD) applied to policlinics in the central part and counties of Duzce.Material: Between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2009 in Duzce Ataturk State Hospital, the patients diagnosed as RTD at chest, internal medicine, ENT, pediatric polyclinics were retrospectively evaluated. The monthly average values of SO2 and PM10 obtained from the official data of Ministry of Environment and Forests.Results: 53.1% of 29,367 cases were female. 64.4% of cases were adults. The average SO2 and PM10 concentration was highest in November, December, January and those were the lowest in July, August, September and October. Acute bronchitis were higher than the remaining in January (26.9%) and December (25.4%), while those were the lowest in July 16.4%) and September (20.4%), respectively. COPD were more frequent in January (10%), February (10.9%), March (13.1%), but less in September (5.9%). Asthma were most admitted in December (10.6%), January (9.6%) but less frequently in September (6.1%). Pneumonia were frequently admitted in November (10.6%), January (9.6%). The allergic rhinitis was the most common at the seaside (119/479, 24.8%) (p=0.000). Upper RTD (58%) were higher than the lower RTD in the months that the air pollution was the highest (p=0.000).Conclusion: It was speculated that polyclinics admissions of COPD, asthma, acute bronchitis, pneumonia seem to be associated with air pollution and also living in the seaside may lead to more increase in applications regarding allergic rhinitis. ER -