Acute effect of pm2.5 from biomass burning on asthma-related hospital visits in Mae Sot, Tak province of Thailand: A time-series study

Authors

  • Thanaphum Laithaisong Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital.
  • Supakorn Tultrairatana Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital.

Keywords:

Asthma Visit, Asthma, PM2.5, Biomass burning

Abstract

   Although it is well studied that the ambient fine particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) emitted from automobile or factory sources can increase the risk of asthmatic attack in human, there are such few evidences from the open-field biomass burning which has different chemical component. The goal of this study was to investigate the correlation between the daily PM2.5 concentrations and the numbers of hospital visits for asthma in Mae Sot area, Northern Thailand, where it was affected by the biomass-burning. This time-series study collected a data from 2,046 hospital visits for asthma in Mae Sot hospital via out-patient department and emergency room department from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017. During the same period where the data of hospital visits for Asthma collected, the daily air pollutants including PM2.5 (μg/m3), PM10 (μg/m3), CO (ppm), NO2 (ppb), O3 (ppb) were monitored at Mae Pa air-pollutant-monitoring station in Mae Sot. In this study, the association between daily PM2.5 and asthma-related hospital visits was analyzed using Negative Binomial Regression and Generalized Estimating Equations. The results found that, overall, daily average concentration levels of ambient PM2.5 were
significantly positively associated with asthma visits in all patient group [adjusted ORs of 1.012 (95% CI=1.000-1.024) per 1 μg/m3 increase in ambient PM2.5 level]. This was particularly high for male [adjusted ORs of 1.016 (95% CI=1.001-1.031)] and children younger than 15 years old [adjusted ORs of 1.022 (95% CI=1.002-1.042)]. In conclusion, the exposure to ambient PM2.5 from the biomass burning was associated with increased risk of asthma-related hospital visits particularly among male and young children patients. Asthma prevention strategies targeting at these high-risk sub-groups as well as the policies to control PM2.5 emission should therefore be implemented.

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2020-05-12

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1.
Laithaisong T, Tultrairatana S. Acute effect of pm2.5 from biomass burning on asthma-related hospital visits in Mae Sot, Tak province of Thailand: A time-series study. JPMAT [Internet]. 2020 May 12 [cited 2024 Nov. 22];10(1):36-48. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JPMAT/article/view/242208

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Research Article