Ground-level ozone concentration and emergency conditions in patients with bronchial asthma on southern coast of Crimea: retrospective study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. To evaluate the link of emergency conditions in patients with bronchial asthma to the ground-level ozone concentration in different seasons of the year on the southern coast of Crimea.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS. Epidemiological study of frequency of visits concerning emergency conditions in patients with bronchial asthma in Yalta according to the ambulance station from April 2010 to March 2011; permanent recording of the ground-level ozone concentration at the background environmental monitoring station (BEMS) by the optical method using automatic gas analyzer APOA 370 (HORIBA). Analysis of the collated data dependence via the Spearman non-parametric correlation analysis.
 RESULTS: Correlation analysis of daily, average monthly and seasonal data on ambulance call with regard to severe bronchial asthma and average daily, maximum, minimum ground-level concentration (GLC) during the astronomical year (April 2010- March 2011) has revealed single-type dependence in nature on the amplitude of ozone changes: statistically significant in November and at the level of trends – in September 2010 that does not provide a sufficient basis to talk about a negative ozone impact on the condition of patients with bronchial asthma on the territory of the southern coast of Crimea. The possible causes of the identified weak dependence are analyzed, though the daily average of ozone was typically higher than MPV (maximum permissible value) throughout the follow-up period, and in the summer – higher than MPV with 8-hour exposure.
 DISCUSSION. However, considering data of numerous foreign studies on the quantification of ozone negative impact on the human body, it is necessary to analyze more long-term series of observations in view of related weather factors of the Southern coast of Crimea that can significantly modify response of the body to GLC. This will determine ozone levels along with other weather conditions, safe for patients with bronchial asthma, including those who undergo rehabilitation in sanatorium-resort institutions of Crimea.