Correlation between air temperature, air pollutants, and the incidence of coronary heart disease in Liaoning Province, China: a retrospective, observational analysis.

BACKGROUND

The concentration of air pollutants is affected by changes in climatic conditions. Air temperature is a main factor affecting the concentration of air pollutants. This study sought to examine the relationship between air temperature, air pollutants, and their interactions in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in Liaoning Province, China.

METHODS

The population data primarily comprised data on daily hospitalizations due to CHD between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019 at the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. A total of 25,461 patients, who were permanent residents of Liaoning Province, were included in the study. The meteorological data included data on the average daily temperature and air pollutant data of the average daily concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) over the hospitalization period. A multiple linear regression model was constructed to analyze the relationship between meteorological factors and CHD.

RESULTS

The interaction between air temperature and SO2, NO2, and O3 concentrations was related to the number of daily CHD-related hospitalizations in elderly patients aged ≥65 years (P=0.0023); however, this correlation was lower than that of the interaction between SO2 and NO2 concentrations (P=0.0026). Additionally, age exerted a greater effect than air temperature and air pollutants.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of CHD in elderly patients aged ≥65 years was found to be related to the interaction of SO2 and NO2 concentrations, and the interaction of air temperature and the concentrations of SO2, NO2, and O3.