Influences of meteorological parameters and biological and chemical air pollutants on the incidence of asthma and rhinitis

Abstract

We studied the relationship among (1) the characteristic weather types found in the Carpathian Basin in the summer to early autumn period (July 15 to October 15) and in the winter months (December, January and February), (2) the levels of chemical (CO, NO, NO 2 , NO 2 /NO, O 3 , O 3max , SO 2 , PM 10 ) and biological (pollen) air pollutants, and (3) their effect on respiratory diseases. The database comprises daily values of 13 meteorological parameters, 8 chemical and 8 biological pollutants, and the number of patients for the period from 1999 to 2003, in Szeged, Hungary. Altogether, 9 symptom groups of respiratory diseases and their occurrences were taken into account. In the summer to early autumn period a total of 26 703 patients, while in the winter months a total of 14 507 patients, registered with respiratory diseases were considered. An objective definition of the characteristic weather types was carried out by using factor and cluster analysis. In the winter months, there was no relationship between the 8 defined weather types and patient numbers. On the other hand, in the summer to early autumn period, Weather Type 7, with a weak anticyclonic ridge character and the highest patient numbers, was linked to high temperature parameters (T mean , T max , T min ), low relative humidity, as well as high chemical and biological pollutant levels. At the same time, Type 2 (anticyclonic ridge character) was associated with the lowest patient numbers and was characterized by high temperature and medium relative humidity parameters, as well as high levels of chemical and low levels of biological air pollutants. Results on the relationships of the meteorological parameters and chemical air pollutants, as well as weather types, will be built into a model to predict, and in this way to prepare for, days of severe risk of respiratory illness.

Forecasting ragweed pollen characteristics with nonparametric regression methods over the most polluted areas in Europe

“…By the end of the twentieth century ragweed had spread north all over Poland (Kasprzyk 2008;Stepalska et al 2008), reaching the northernmost point of Szczecin near the Baltic Sea (Puc 2006). However, the three main regions further south in Europe currently affected by Ambrosia are the Carpathian Basin (Chrenová et al 2009;Ianovici and Sîrbu 2007;Peternel et al 2006;Šikoparija et al 2009;Štefanič et al 2005), with peak values in Hungary (Makra et al 2004(Makra et al , 2005(Makra et al , 2008, the Rhône-Alpes region (Laaidi et al 2003) in France and the western part of the Po River Plain, mostly in the northwest part of the province of Milan (Bottero et al 1990;Mandrioli et al 1998). Bottero et al (1990) first reported the spread and pollinosis of ragweed over this area of Lombardy.…”

Assessment of the daily ragweed pollen concentration with previous-day meteorological variables using regression and quantile regression analysis for Szeged, Hungary

“…The pollen content of the air was measured using a 7-day recording ''Hirsttype'' volumetric trap (Hirst 1952). The air sampler is located on top of the building of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Szeged some 20 m above the ground (Makra et al 2008).…”

Estimating extreme daily pollen loads for Szeged, Hungary using previous-day meteorological variables

“…The air sampler is located on top of the building of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Szeged some 20 m above the ground surface ( Fig. 1) (Makra et al 2008).…”