Association between atmospheric particulate matter and emergency room visits for cerebrovascular disease in Beijing, China.

Purpose: The association between atmospheric particulate matter and emergency room visits for cerebrovascular disease were evaluated in Beijing. Methods: A generalized additive model was used to evaluate the associations between particulate matter and cerebrovascular disease, based on the daily data of meteorological elements, PM concentrations, and emergency room (ER) visits for cerebrovascular disease in Beijing from 2009 to 2012. Long-term trends and the effects of holidays, the day of the week, and confounding factors were controlled to determine the lag effect at 0-6 days. Single- and double-pollutant models were employed for different age and sex groups. Results: The effect of PM2.5 concentration on the number of daily ER visits for cerebrovascular disease was much stronger than that of PM10 concentration. PM2.5 and PM10 had maximum RR values of 1.096 and 1.054 at lag 6 for patients aged 61-75 years. For each inter-quartile range (IQR) increase in PM10 concentration, the maximum RR values for the total, males, females, aged 15-60 years, aged 61-75 years, and aged > 75 years were 1.024, 1.044, 1.043, 1.038, 1.054, and 1.032, respectively. For each IQR increase in PM2.5 concentration, the maximum RR values for the total, males, females, aged 15-60 years, aged 61-75 years, and aged > 75 years were 1.038, 1.064, 1.076, 1.054, 1.096, and 1.049, respectively. The RR values of the double-pollutant models were lower than those of the single-pollutant models. Conclusion: This study showed that the effects of PM pollution on cerebrovascular disease were different among different gender and age groups, and aged 61-75 years were mostly sensitive to particulate matters. The effects of PM2.5 on cerebrovascular disease were stronger than those of PM10. Our results can provide scientific evidence for the local government to take effective measures to improve air quality and the health of residents. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-021-00776-w.

Effects of extreme temperatures on hospital emergency room visits for respiratory diseases in Beijing, China.

Extreme temperature is closely associated with human health, but limited evidence is available for the effects of extreme temperatures on respiratory diseases in China. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of extreme temperatures on hospital emergency room (ER) visits for respiratory diseases in Beijing, China. We used a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) coupled with a generalized additive model (GAM) to estimate the association between extreme temperatures and hospital ER visits for different age and gender subgroups in Beijing from 2009 to 2012. The results showed that the exposure-response curve between temperature and hospital ER visits was almost W-shaped, with increasing relative risks (RRs) at extremely low temperature. In the whole year period, strong acute hot effects were observed, especially for the elders (age > 65 years). The highest RR associated with the extremely high temperature was 1.36 (95% CI, 0.96-1.92) at lag 0-27. The longer-lasting cold effects were found the strongest at lag 0-27 for children (age ≤ 15 years) and the relative risk was 1.96 (95% CI, 1.70-2.26). We also found that females were more susceptible to extreme temperatures than males.

[Effect of Air Pollution on the Cold Disease in Shanghai].

This study discusses the changes in the daily average concentrations of the main air pollutants, such as PM10, PM2.5, O3, and NO2, in Shanghai, and the effects of air pollution on cold in Shanghai. For this study, data on air pollutants, meteorological factors, and the number of daily hospital visits from cold in Shanghai were collected from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. Using the time series Poisson semi-parametric generalized additive model, and controlling for the long-term trend, "week" effect, and meteorological factors by smoothing the spline function, the exposure-response relationship between air pollution and human health in Shanghai was analyzed. The study sets up the model according to age, evaluating the impact and the lag effect of air pollution on the number of daily hospital visits. Results show that when PM10, NO2, O3, and PM2.5 increase by an IQR, the relative risk of cold disease is 1.0240 (1.0233-1.0246), 1.0206 (1.0201-1.0212), 0.9393 (0.9384-0.9402), and 1.0080 (1.0069-1.0086), and when PM10, NO2, O3, and PM2.5 increase by 10 µg·m-3, the daily hospital visits increase by 0.5%, 1.0%, -2.0%, and 0.2%. In the multi-polluted model, the results of NO2 and PM2.5 are basically lower compared to the results of the single-pollutant model, the results of PM10 and O3are higher. Air pollution in Shanghai has an impact on the incidence of cold disease.

The relationship between diurnal temperature range and COPD hospital admissions in Changchun, China.

Diurnal temperature range (DTR) has been suggested to be an adverse health factor especially related to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. In the current study, we investigated the association between DTR and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) hospital admissions during 2009 to 2012 in northeast city of Changchun, China. Based on generalized additive model (GAM), the effects were expressed as relative risk (RR) values of COPD with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with each 1 °C increase in DTR. And they were significantly increased with an increment of 1 °C in DTR, modified by season, age, and sex. The elderly were more vulnerable, with relative risk values of 1.048 (1.029, 1.066) in cold season and 1.037 (1.021, 1.053) in warm season. Regarding the gender, the DTR effect on females was greater during cold season and the RR value was 1.051 (1.033, 1.069) on the current day (lag 0). The greater estimates for males appeared at lag 7 days, with RR of 1.019 (0.998, 1.040). A season-specific effect was detected that the relative risk values with per 1 °C increase in DTR were greater in cold season than in warm season. These findings support the hypothesis of significant relationship between DTR and COPD in Changchun, one northeast city of China.

Short-term effects of ambient air pollution on emergency room admissions due to cardiovascular causes in Beijing, China.

Ambient air pollution has been a major global public health issue. A number of studies have shown various adverse effects of ambient air pollution on cardiovascular diseases. In the current study, we investigated the short-term effects of ambient air pollution on emergency room (ER) admissions due to cardiovascular causes in Beijing from 2009 to 2012 using a time-series analysis. A total of 82430 ER cardiovascular admissions were recorded. Different gender (male and female) and age groups (15yrs ≤ age <65 yrs and age ≥ 65 yrs) were also examined by single model and multiple-pollutant model. Three major pollutants (SO2, NO2 and PM10) had lag effects of 0-2 days on cardiovascular ER admissions. The relative risks (95% CI) of per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10, SO2 and NO2 were 1.008 (0.997-1.020), 1.008(0.999-1.018) and 1.014(1.003-1.024), respectively. The effect was more pronounced in age ≥65 and males in Beijing. We also found the stronger acute effects on the elderly and females at lag 0 than on the younger people and males at lag 2.

Short-term effects of air pollution on daily hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases in western China.

Controlling the confounding factors on cardiovascular diseases, such as long-time trend, calendar effect, and meteorological factors, a generalized additive model (GAM) was used to investigate the short-term effects of air pollutants (PM10, SO2, and NO2) on daily cardiovascular admissions from March 1st to May 31st during 2007 to 2011 in Lanzhou, a heavily polluted city in western China. The influences of air pollutants were examined with different lag structures, and the potential effect modification by dust storm in spring was also investigated. Significant associations were found between air pollutants and hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases both on dust event days and non-dust event days in spring. Air pollutants had lag effects on different age and gender groups. Relative risks (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associated with a 10 µg/m3 increase were 1.14 (1.04~1.26) on lag1 for PM10, 1.31 (1.21~1.51) on lag01 for SO2, and 1.96 (1.49~2.57) on lag02 for NO2 on dust days. Stronger effects of air pollutants were observed for females and the elderly (≥60 years). Our analysis concluded that the effects of air pollutants on cardiovascular admissions on dust days were significantly stronger than non-dust days. The current study strengthens the evidence of effects of air pollution on health and dust-exacerbated cardiovascular admissions in Lanzhou.

Significance of CD44 expression in head and neck cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: CD44 has been reported to be involved with tumor growth and metastasis and has also been implicated as a CSC marker in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). However, the prognostic value of CD44 still remains controversial; hence, we investigated the correlation between CD44 and the clinicopathological features of HNSCC by meta-analysis. METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed using PubMed, ISI web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to April 2013. Only studies with immunohistochemical staining of HNSCC were considered. Data on TNM classification, tumor grade, disease free survival and 3- or 5-year overall survival rate were extracted. RESULTS: Thirty studies with 2102 patients met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Fifteen studies used anti-pan-CD44 antibody, 9 used anti-CD44-v6 antibody, 2 used anti-CD44-v3 and 2 used anti-CD44s antibody, 1 used anti-CD44-v9, and 1 used anti-CD44-v6,-v3 and -v4-5 simultaneously. The total percentage of CD44 expression was 57.8%, with 49.3% in oral cancer patients, 66.4% in pharynx and 54.7% in larynx cancer patients expressing CD44. No significant correlation between clinical features and CD44 expression was revealed for oral cancer patients, but CD44 was shown to be associated with advanced T categories (larynx: RR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.01-1.76; larynx & pharynx RR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.08-1.35), worse N categories (larynx: RR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.99-3.21; larynx & pharynx RR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.35-2.82), higher tumor grades (larynx & pharynx RR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.04-2.79) and 5-year OS rates (larynx: RR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.47-0.83; larynx & pharynx RR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.47-0.94) in patients with laryngeal and pharyngolaryngeal cancer. In stratified analysis, pan-CD44 and CD44-v6 expression were both correlated with 5-year OS rate of patients with laryngeal (CD44: RR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.46-0.95; CD44-v6 RR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.37-0.77) and pharyngolaryngeal cancer (CD44: RR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.34-0.93; CD44-v6 RR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.37-0.77). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis suggested that CD44 is related to worse T category, N category, tumor grade and prognosis, in pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer, but no clear association was revealed between CD44 expression and oral cancer.

Prognostic value of HIFs expression in head and neck cancer: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Tumor hypoxia plays a fundamental role in resistance to therapy and disease progression. A number of studies have assessed the prognostic role of HIFs expression in head and neck cancer (HNC), but no consistent outcomes are reported. METHODOLOGY: A systematical search was performed to search relevant literatures in PubMed, Web of Science and ISI Web of Knowledge databases. The patients' clinical characteristics and survival outcome were extracted. The correlation between HIFs expression and prognosis was analyzed. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 28 studies assessed the association between HIFs and HNC survival, the result showed that overexpressed HIFs was significantly associated with increase of mortality risk (HR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.52-2.94; I(2) 74%). Subgroup analysis on different HIF isoforms with OS indicated that both HIF-1α and HIF-2α were associated with worse prognosis. The pooled HRs were 1.72(95% CI 1.34-2.20; I(2) 70.7%) and 1.79(95% CI: 1.42-2.27, I(2) 0%). Further subgroup analysis was performed by different geographical locations, disease subtype, stage, types of variate analysis and cut-off value. The results revealed that overexpressed HIF-1α was significantly associated with poor prognosis in Asian patients (HR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.76-3.1; I(2) 48.9%), but not in European patients (HR = 1.13; 95% CI: 0.77-1.66; I(2) 78.3%). Furthermore, HIF-1α overexpression was significantly associated with worse OS in oral carcinoma (HR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.11-3.97; I(2) 81.7%), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (HR = 2.07; 95% CI:1.23-3.49; I(2) 22.5%) and oropharynx carcinoma (HR = 1.76; 95% CI:1.05-2.97; I(2) 61%), but not in laryngeal carcinoma (HR = 1.38; 95% CI: 0.87-2.19; I(2) 62.5%). We also found that the prognostic value of HIF-1α overexpression existed only when using staining and percentage as positive definition (HR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.42-2.33; I(2) 9.9%). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that overexpressed HIFs were significantly associated with increase of mortality risk. Subgroup analysis revealed that overexpressed HIF-1α was significantly associated with worse prognosis of HNC in Asian countries. Additionally, HIF-1α had different prognostic value in different HNC disease subtypes.