Are day-to-day variations of airborne particles associated with emergency ambulance dispatches?

Background: Much of the evidence on the health effects of airborne particles is based on mortality and hospital admissions, while the evidence from other morbidity indicators is still limited. Objective: To measure the relationship between particles with diameter below 10 μm (PM10) and emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD). Methods: Daily EAD for six towns of the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) were obtained from a database collecting real-time data. Time series analyses were performed, and city-specific estimates were combined using meta-analytic techniques. Results: We found a significant percentage change of EAD associated with a 10 μg/m3 increase of PM10 for non-traumatic diseases (0.86%, 95%CI: 0.61,1.1%). A positive relationship was also found for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases without reaching statistical significance. The risks were much higher in the warm (April-September) than in the cold season (January-March and October-December). Conclusions: Emergency ambulance dispatches provide useful insight into the health effects of air pollution and may be useful to establish surveillance systems. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2014.