[Research meteorological environmental factors in children's allergic rhinitis].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possible effects of meteorological and environmental factors on allergic rhinitis of children.

METHOD

Daily numbers of outpatients consulting general practitioners for AR between Jan 1 2007 and Dec 31 2011 were obtained from the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Children Medical Center. Daily maximum, average and minimum temperatures and humidity and wind power for Shanghai of the same 5 years were obtained from the Shanghai Meteorological Office. Air Quality data was provided by the Shanghai Municipal Environmental Protection Monitoring Center on daily SO2, NO2 and PM10, the average of O3 per 8 hours. The data was available as average values derived from the data of 6 state comtrolled monitoring stations distributed across Shanghai. Non-parametric generalized additive model (GAM) was used to analyze the highly non-linear or non-monotonic exposure-response relationship between meteorological and environmental factors and daily outpatient visiting for AR of children.

RESULT

The daily numbers of AR children in outpatients department in this study were highest in the average daily temperature 11°C and 21°C. It showed two peak. But as the humidity increased, daily numbers of outpatients of AR children went down, indicating that the higy humidity has protective effect. Every 10 microg/m3 increase of environmental pollutants O3, SO2 and PM10 was linked to 1.95%, 1.19% and 0.33% increase in the number of visitors, respectively, suggesting the air pollution may increase the risk of onset of AR in children.

CONCLUSION

Meteorological and environmental factors have important effects on AR in children.