AIR POLLUTION AND CARDIOVASCULAR HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IN KERMAN, IRAN

Air pollution is a human health risk factor. Cardiovascular disease incidents may be related to air pollution. In this study, the relation between cardiovascular disease hospital admissions and ambient air pollutants has been studied in Kerman, Iran. Data about cardiovascular emergency admissions was inquired from a major referral hospital and air pollution data was inquired from the Kerman Environmental Protection Agency from March 2006 to March 2014. The concentration of seven ambient air pollutants (SO2, NO2, O3, CO, PM10, NOx and NO) is measured daily in Kerman. The relation between hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease and air pollution was analyzed by using negative binomial regression. Significant correlations between ozone and hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease in women (r = 0.38), men (r = 0.24) and in total (r = 0.35) were observed and as ozone concentration increased the number of admissions increased as well. In both crude and adjusted negative binomial regression, increase in ozone concentration was significantly associated with increased hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease. There was not a significant relation between other air pollutants and cardiovascular admissions. It seems like increase in ozone concentration is associated with increased hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases in Kerman.