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2613944 
Journal Article 
Abstract 
No correlation among atmospheric warming, pollen, and air pollution, to monthly New York City pediatric asthma ER visits 
Szema, AM; Chen, Y; Forsyth, E; Pan, K; Chen, H; Szema, KF; Chenrachasith, P 
2010 
Yes 
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
ISSN: 1073-449X
EISSN: 1535-4970 
181 
A1894 
English 
WOS:000208771001102 
is part of a larger document 3452678 Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference, May 14-19, 2010, New Orleans
RATIONALE: The "temperature inversion effect" from elevated ambient temperature leads to increased particulate matter in air. Global Warming plausibly leads to more of these temperature changes associated with increased particulate matter air pollution, a trigger for asthma attacks. Pollen counts are also temperature-sensitive, increasing with ambient conditions. We examined the correlation of temperature, pollen counts, and air pollution using PM2.5 (concentration of particulate matter of 2.5 micron-sized particles per cubic meter of air) as a surrogate, with speciated data for vanadium and black carbon, on monthly pediatric asthma emergency room (ER) visits at a New York City Hospital.

METHODS: Temperature data were recorded at JFK Airport (1960-present). Particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution, the concentration of 2.5 micron-sized particles per cubic meter of air, were from The Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan (2006-9). Pollen counts were measured in Brooklyn (AAAAI databank-2008). Asthma emergency room visits were from Lincoln Hospital (Bronx; 2007-9). Relations among these data were determined based on correlation coefficients.

RESULTS:
1. Temperature in 2007 correlated with 2008 (r = 0.98) as did monthly asthma emergency room visits (r = 0.89), indicating the relative stability of the seasonal changes in both temperature and asthma "incidents."
2. Asthma emergency room visits and temperature (2007-8) were inverse correlated (r= - 0.56, p < .01).
3. Asthma emergency room visits were not correlated with pollen counts, though pollen count were correlated with temperature (r = 0.81, p <.03).
4. Asthma-related hospital discharge rates in the Bronx peaked in 2003, coinciding with the decrease of temperature that year.
5. There was no significant correlation between air quality indicators and asthma ER visits, nor between air quality indicators and temperature.

CONCLUSIONS: Monthly pediatric asthma ER visits were inversely correlated with temperature and not did not have a relationship to PM2.5 or its speciated data for vanadium and black carbon. These PM2.5 levels were, at times, above EPA standards. Levels of pollen were high and increasing and correlated with temperature, but were not correlated with asthma ER visits. 
American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference 
New Orleans, LA 
May 14-19, 2010 
NAAQS
• ISA-PM (2019)