Effects of ambient air pollution exposure on frequency of hospital admissions for appendicitis in Taipei, Taiwan

The relationship between exposure to ambient air pollutants and hospital admissions for appendicitis is not known. This study examined whether an association existed between air contaminant levels and frequency of hospital admissions for appendicitis in Taipei, Taiwan. Ambient air pollution and hospital admission data for Taipei were obtained for 2009-2013. Relative risk (RR) of hospital admissions was estimated using a case-crossover approach, controlling for weather variables, day of the week, seasonality, and long-term time trends. In the single pollutant model, on warm days (>23 degrees C), number of appendicitis admissions was significantly associated with particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O-3). On cool days (<23 degrees C), a significant rise in number of admissions for appendicitis was related to PM10, NO2, and O-3 concentrations. In the two-pollutant models, on warm days, NO2 and O-3 were significantly associated with increased number of admissions for appendicitis when combined with each of the other pollutants. On cool days, NO2, O-3, and PM10 remained significant for higher appendicitis admission cases in all two-pollutant models. In conclusion, higher levels of ambient air pollutants may be associated with increase in the risk of hospital admissions for appendicitis in Taipei.