Air Pollution Increases Hospital Admissions of Pulmonary Disease Sufferers

In Hong Kong, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the fifth leading cause of death, and accounted for at least 4% of all public hospital acute admissions in 2003. The prevalence of COPD among elderly Chinese (age ≧ 70 years) living in Hong Kong is estimated to be 9%. Previous studies have shown that pulmonary function and quality of life among patients with COPD were adversely affected by frequent exacerbations.

The Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and the Department of Community and Family Medicine of CUHK carried out a study which has just been published in the journal THORAX. The study assessed the relationship between the levels of ambient air pollutants and hospitalization rate due to COPD in Hong Kong.

Data of daily emergency hospital admissions to 15 major hospitals in Hong Kong for COPD and indices of air pollutants and meteorological variables from January 2000 to December 2004 were obtained from several government departments. Significant associations were found between hospital admissions for COPD with the air pollutants, especially in the cold season.

Adverse effects of ambient concentrations of air pollutants on hospitalization rates for COPD are evident. Measures to improve air quality are urgently needed.