Abstract:
Objective To explore the effect of the mass concentration of atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on the emergency visits due to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases in residents in Panzhihua, China, and to provide practical technical support for the formulation of air pollution prevention and control strategies in Panzhihua.
Methods The data on air pollutants, meteorological data, and daily emergency visits of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases among local residents in Panzhihua were collected from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. The generalized additive model was used to analyze the correlation and lag effect between PM2.5 levels and mean daily emergency visits due to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases.
Results The median of daily mass concentrations of PM2.5 in Panzhihua from 2021 to 2023 was 25.14 μg/m3. The results of the correlation analysis showed that PM2.5 levels were significantly positively correlated with the mean daily emergency visits due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (rs=0.083, P<0.001) and respiratory diseases (rs=0.107, P<0.001). The results of one-day lag effect indicated that the hazard effect of PM2.5 exposure on emergency visits due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was observed on lag6 d and lag7 d, and the most significant effect was observed on lag7 d. For each 10 μg/m3 increase in the mass concentration of PM2.5, excess risk(ER) of emergency visits due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases increased by 3.45% 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03%-5.87%. While the hazard effect of PM2.5 exposure on emergency visits due to respiratory diseases was observed on lag0 d, and for each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration, the number of emergency patients with respiratory diseases increased by 2.78%(95%CI: 0.24%-5.34%). The results of cumulative lag effect showed that the PM2.5 exposure on emergency visits due to respiratory diseases was statistical on lag 01-05 d (P<0.05), and the maximum increase in the health risk value, 5.18%(95%CI: 1.21%-9.15%), was observed on lag04 d. Under the two-pollutant model, after the introduction of SO2, CO and O3-8 h, the ER of increased mean daily emergency visits due to PM2.5-related cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was 2.92% (95%CI: 0.28%-5.57%), 5.00% (95%CI: 2.29%-7.71%), and 3.99% (95%CI: 1.46%-6.52%), respectively, while that due to PM2.5-related respiratory diseases increased by 2.89%(95%CI: 0.16%-5.62%), 4.27%(95%CI: 1.43%-7.12%), and 2.19%(95%CI: -0.61%-5.01%), respectively. Under the multi-pollutant model that introduced three pollutants simultaneously, the ER values of increased mean daily emergency visits due to PM2.5-related cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and respiratory diseases were 5.46%(95%CI: 2.37%-8.57%) and 3.48%(95%CI: 0.29%-6.68%), respectively.
Conclusion The increase in the concentration of atmospheric PM2.5 raises the risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and respiratory diseases in local residents in Panzhihua.