A case-crossover study of ambient particulate matter and cardiovascular and respiratory medical encounters among US military personnel deployed to southwest Asia.

Abraham, Joseph H; Baird, Coleen P · J Occup Environ Med · 2012

case_control · Level III

Where this comes from

Abstract

To evaluate the impact of ambient particulate matter (PM) on acute cardiorespiratory morbidity among US military personnel in southwest Asia. We linked ambient PM data collected between December 2005 and June 2007 with personnel, medical, and meteorological data. We implemented a case-crossover analysis to estimate base-specific associations and pooled those estimates using meta-analytic methods. The adjusted odds ratios for a 10-μg/m increase in ambient PM2.5 and a qualifying medical encounter were 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77 to 1.11) and 1.01 (95% CI: 0.95 to 1.07) for the current (lag_0) and previous (lag_1) days. The estimates for a 10-μg/m increase in PM10 were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.97 to 1.03) at lag_0, and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.97 to 1.02) at lag_1. No statistically significant associations between PM and cardiorespiratory outcomes were observed in this young, relatively healthy, deployed military population.

Medical subject headings