176759 Case-Crossover Analysis of Air Pollution and Cardiorespiratory Hospitalizations: Assessing a Reduction of Health Risk Associated with a Removal of a Key Source of Air Pollution

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Xiaohui Xu , Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Evelyn O. Talbott, DrPH, MPH , Department of Epidemiology, Director University of Pittsburgh Academic Center for Excellence in Environmental PH Tracking, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Jeanne Zborowski , Graduate School of Public Health- Dept of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburg Academic Partner of Excellence in EPHT, Pittsburg, PA
Vincent Arena , Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburg, Pittsburgh, PA
Judy Rager , Graduate School of Public Health- Dept of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburg Academic Partner of Excellence in EPHT, Pittsburg, PA
Background: From the early 1900s until its closure in February 1998, the LTV Steel coke oven in Pittsburgh (Hazelwood), Pennsylvania was a key source of air pollution. A case-crossover study was performed to assess the associations between daily air pollution and cardiorespiratory (ICD-9: 390-519) hospitalizations before and after plant closure and to evaluate how closure influenced these associations. Methods: Air pollution data, climatic data and cardiorespiratory hospitalizations among Hazelwood-area residents 65 years and older were obtained for the period of 1996 through 2000. Data were analyzed using a case-crossover design and conditional logistical regression. Two distinct referent sampling approaches were compared. Results: Significant associations were observed between the fourth quartile in PM10 and cardiorespiratory hospitalizations (OR: 1.12; 95%CI: 1.02-1.23) as well as cardiovascular hospitalizations only (ICD-9: 390-459) (OR: 1.13; 95%CI: 1.01-1.26) before the plant closure. After closure of the plant, PM10 was not significantly associated with cardiorespiratory or cardiovascular disease hospitalizations. Moreover, the referent sampling approaches did not greatly alter the estimations in the case-crossover analysis. Conclusion: Existing secondary data is an economical source to assess the impact of point source polluters on the environmental landscape. The findings suggest that closure of the LTV coke plant was associated with a reduction risk of the cardiovascular hospitalizations.

Learning Objectives:
1.Apply case-crossover analysis in air pollution-related health effect studies 2.Assess if a reduction risk is associated with a removal of a key source of air pollution 3.Evaluate how the referent samplings in case crossover analysis influence the effect estimation in real data

Keywords: Air Pollutants, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: This study is a part of my Ph.D dissertation research
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.