Correlation between air pollution in Lublin and the number of hospitalizations due to exacerbations of chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Abstract Introduction. Air pollution exacerbates chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases. The greatest importance is assigned to dusts with a diameter of 2.5 μm (PM 2.5) and a diameter of 10 μm (PM 10) resulting from the combustion of solid fuels. Aim. The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between air pollution in Lublin in 2019 and the number of hospitalizations due to exacerbations of chronic lung and heart diseases. Material and methods. The material was collected in Lublin from January 1st 2019 to December 31st 2019. The concentration of PM 2.5, PM 10 dust, air temperature and humidity were measured with the DM106A sensor. Data on the number of hospitalizations were obtained from the Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 (SPSK 4) in Lublin. The material was statistically analyzed with the IBM SPSS Statistics package. The obtained results of the analysis were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. Results. The average annual humidity was 59.1%, the concentration of PM 2.5 was 24.9 μg/m3, and PM 10 was 33 μg/m3. Dust concentrations increased at the beginning of heating season in October. They were high till the end of March. They fell in the spring. With increasing air humidity, there were more hospitalizations due to exacerbation of lung diseases. Men and women were more often admitted to hospital due to exacerbations of cardiovascular diseases than lung problems. Conclusions. In low air temperatures during heating season dust concentrations increase but they do not affect the number of hospitalizations in Lublin. Air humidity is the factor correlated with admissions to hospital of both men and women with lung and heart diseases.