| Abstract We investigated the association between the levels of
air pollutants and the number of daily admissions due to ST
segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a metropolitan
in the northwest of Iran. Daily concentrations of common
air pollutants were obtained for the greater city of Tabriz
for a period of 2 years. These reports included sulfur dioxide
(SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen
byproducts (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), and
particulate matters < 10 μm (PM10). The census of admissions
for STEMI was retrieved for the same period from hospital
registries. The association of daily variations in air pollutant
levels and the daily number of STEMI admissions were investigated
in a time-series analysis. In the multi-pollutant model
adjusting for long-term trend, seasonality, and temperature, a
significant association was found for 1-h [NO2] and 24-h [CO].
A marginally significant association was observed for 24-h
[NO2] and 8-h [CO]. The 24-h [CO] had the strongest association
with the number of admissions with STEMI. Maximum
1-h concentrations of NO2 on the same day and on the prior day
as well as 24-h concentrations of CO on the prior day were
independently associated with increased number of STEMI
admissions. However, daily concentrations of SO2, NO, O3,
and PM10 were not associated with the frequency of hospital
admissions for STEMI. |