Inference from ecological models: Estimating the relative risk of stroke from air pollution exposure using small area data

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 123-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Haining ◽  
Guangquan Li ◽  
Ravi Maheswaran ◽  
Marta Blangiardo ◽  
Jane Law ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
pp. 695-706

INTRODUCTION. The occurrence of smog episodes and their significant impact on human health have forced research focused on risk assessment. Over the years, methods of exposure measuring have been improved, as well as statistical models necessary to the biological response estimation including the risk of incidence or death. AIM. The aim of presented study is to review and evaluate possibilities of statistical methods of delayed respiratory health effects risk assessment related to ambient air pollution exposure. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The review of published data was carried using the PubMed platform from 1994 to the 2020 year. Over 80 references were include in the analysis identifying general characteristics, construction of models estimating the relative risk of respiratory incidents with delayed health effect, and modelling tools available in statistical packages R, SAS, and Statistica. RESULTS. Among various methods of health risk assessment, the Almon model, the Poisson model, and the Distributed Lag Non-Linear Models (DLNM) were most common used. Initially, the Poisson model was used, close to 60% of the cited works apply this method. The interest in the nonlinear modelling implementation has increased (34% of cited papers) in recent years. Mostly researchers used R or SAS statistical software. Usually, was calculated the relative risk of health effect related to short-term exposure (up to a week). About 75% of available papers concern measurements of relative risk in response to the concentration of pollution increase by unit=10 μg/m3. Other describe the risk associated with the exposure increasing by the interquartile range (IQR). CONCLUSIONS. Distributed Lag Non-linear Model DLNM is classified as the statistical tool recommended by researchers due to its flexibility in defining, simplicity in interpretation, and increasingly frequent applications to environmental epidemiology.


Hypertension ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 384-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carrie J. Nobles ◽  
Andrew Williams ◽  
Marion Ouidir ◽  
Seth Sherman ◽  
Pauline Mendola

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather E. Volk ◽  
Bo Park ◽  
Calliope Hollingue ◽  
Karen L. Jones ◽  
Paul Ashwood ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Perinatal exposure to air pollution and immune system dysregulation are two factors consistently associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, little is known about how air pollution may influence maternal immune function during pregnancy. Objectives To assess the relationship between mid-gestational circulating levels of maternal cytokines/chemokines and previous month air pollution exposure across neurodevelopmental groups, and to assess whether cytokines/chemokines mediate the relationship between air pollution exposures and risk of ASD and/or intellectual disability (ID) in the Early Markers for Autism (EMA) study. Methods EMA is a population-based, nested case–control study which linked archived maternal serum samples collected during weeks 15–19 of gestation for routine prenatal screening, birth records, and Department of Developmental Services (DDS) records. Children receiving DDS services for ASD without intellectual disability (ASD without ID; n = 199), ASD with ID (ASD with ID; n = 180), ID without ASD (ID; n = 164), and children from the general population (GP; n = 414) with no DDS services were included in this analysis. Serum samples were quantified for 22 cytokines/chemokines using Luminex multiplex analysis technology. Air pollution exposure for the month prior to maternal serum collection was assigned based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality System data using the maternal residential address reported during the prenatal screening visit. Results Previous month air pollution exposure and mid-gestational maternal cytokine and chemokine levels were significantly correlated, though weak in magnitude (ranging from − 0.16 to 0.13). Ten pairs of mid-pregnancy immune markers and previous month air pollutants were significantly associated within one of the child neurodevelopmental groups, adjusted for covariates (p < 0.001). Mid-pregnancy air pollution was not associated with any neurodevelopmental outcome. IL-6 remained associated with ASD with ID even after adjusting for air pollution exposure. Conclusion This study suggests that maternal immune activation is associated with risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Furthermore, that prenatal air pollution exposure is associated with small, but perhaps biologically relevant, effects on maternal immune system function during pregnancy. Additional studies are needed to better evaluate how prenatal exposure to air pollution affects the trajectory of maternal immune activation during pregnancy, if windows of heightened susceptibility can be identified, and how these factors influence neurodevelopment of the offspring.


Epigenetics ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Gloria C. Chi ◽  
Yongmei Liu ◽  
James W. MacDonald ◽  
Lindsay M. Reynolds ◽  
Daniel A. Enquobahrie ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
David Rojas-Rueda

Background: Bicycling has been associated with health benefits. Local and national authorities have been promoting bicycling as a tool to improve public health and the environment. Mexico is one of the largest Latin American countries, with high levels of sedentarism and non-communicable diseases. No previous studies have estimated the health impacts of Mexico’s national bicycling scenarios. Aim: Quantify the health impacts of Mexico urban bicycling scenarios. Methodology: Quantitative Health Impact Assessment, estimating health risks and benefits of bicycling scenarios in 51,718,756 adult urban inhabitants in Mexico (between 20 and 64 years old). Five bike scenarios were created based on current bike trends in Mexico. The number of premature deaths (increased or reduced) was estimated in relation to physical activity, road traffic fatalities, and air pollution. Input data were collected from national publicly available data sources from transport, environment, health and population reports, and surveys, in addition to scientific literature. Results: We estimated that nine premature deaths are prevented each year among urban populations in Mexico on the current car-bike substitution and trip levels (1% of bike trips), with an annual health economic benefit of US $1,897,920. If Mexico achieves similar trip levels to those reported in The Netherlands (27% of bike trips), 217 premature deaths could be saved annually, with an economic impact of US $45,760,960. In all bicycling scenarios assessed in Mexico, physical activity’s health benefits outweighed the health risks related to traffic fatalities and air pollution exposure. Conclusion: The study found that bicycling promotion in Mexico would provide important health benefits. The benefits of physical activity outweigh the risk from traffic fatalities and air pollution exposure in bicyclists. At the national level, Mexico could consider using sustainable transport policies as a tool to promote public health. Specifically, the support of active transportation through bicycling and urban design improvements could encourage physical activity and its health co-benefits.


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