Li Juanli, Feng Chengyu, Ma Xuanlong, Wu Duo
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China.
College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental System, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):21556. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07352-4.
Lanzhou, an industrial city in northwestern China, is prone to air pollution due to its unique valley basin topography. The incidence of otolaryngologic diseases is closely related to the air quality. Based on air-quality data and outpatient data from an otolaryngology clinic within a hospital in Lanzhou during 2014‒2022, we analyzed the statistical relationships between the concentrations of six common air pollutants and the number of outpatient visits for common otolaryngologic inflammatory diseases using a generalized additive model. We used the results to discuss the potential role of urban airborne pollen in contributing to allergic rhinitis, and we also examined the variability of the relationship between air pollutants and otolaryngologic diseases under anthropogenic interventions using periods before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Rising concentrations of CO, NO, PM, PM, and SO in Lanzhou led to an increase in the number of outpatient visits for otolaryngologic inflammatory diseases, and the impact patterns were different for different genders and different diseases. In terms of gender, CO, NO, and SO had a significantly greater impact on the number of visits for otolaryngologic inflammatory disease for males than for females, while PM and PM had a more significant impact on the female population. The number of outpatient visits for acute otitis media and allergic rhinitis also increased with increasing concentrations of the above five pollutants, while airborne pollen was an important trigger for high incidences of allergic rhinitis in July and August. In addition, during the period of lockdown and control due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease in the relative risk of the five aforementioned pollutants with respect to the occurrence of inflammatory otolaryngologic disorders. The effect of these pollutants on such disorders was reduced compared with that observed during the pre-pandemic period, indicating that effective air pollution control is an important measure that can be implemented to reduce the occurrence of otolaryngologic inflammatory diseases and protect residents. This study reveals the occurrence pattern of otolaryngologic diseases and their relationships with air pollutants in Lanzhou, which is important for the prevention of otolaryngologic diseases and the formulation of air pollution control strategies.
兰州是中国西北部的一座工业城市，因其独特的山谷盆地地形，容易受到空气污染影响。耳鼻喉科疾病的发病率与空气质量密切相关。基于2014年至2022年兰州一家医院耳鼻喉科门诊数据以及空气质量数据，我们使用广义相加模型分析了六种常见空气污染物浓度与常见耳鼻喉科炎症性疾病门诊就诊次数之间的统计关系。我们利用研究结果探讨了城市空气中花粉在引发过敏性鼻炎方面的潜在作用，并且还利用新冠疫情暴发之前和期间的时间段，研究了人为干预下空气污染物与耳鼻喉科疾病之间关系的变化情况。兰州一氧化碳（CO）、一氧化氮（NO）、细颗粒物（PM）、可吸入颗粒物（PM）和二氧化硫（SO）浓度上升导致耳鼻喉科炎症性疾病门诊就诊次数增加，且不同性别和不同疾病的影响模式有所不同。在性别方面，CO、NO和SO对男性耳鼻喉科炎症性疾病就诊次数的影响显著大于女性，而PM和PM对女性人群的影响更为显著。急性中耳炎和过敏性鼻炎的门诊就诊次数也随着上述五种污染物浓度的增加而增加，而空气中的花粉是7月和8月过敏性鼻炎高发的重要诱因。此外，在新冠疫情封锁管控期间，上述五种污染物导致耳鼻喉科炎症性疾病发生的相对风险有所降低。与疫情前相比，这些污染物对这类疾病的影响有所减轻，这表明有效控制空气污染是减少耳鼻喉科炎症性疾病发生、保护居民的一项重要措施。本研究揭示了兰州耳鼻喉科疾病的发病模式及其与空气污染物的关系，这对于预防耳鼻喉科疾病和制定空气污染控制策略具有重要意义。
