Interactive effects of specific fine particulate matter compositions and airborne pollen on frequency of clinic visits for pollinosis in Fukuoka, Japan

Arthit Phosri; Kayo Ueda; Saira Tasmin; Reiko Kishikawa; Masahiko Hayashi; Keiichiro Hara; Yamato Uehara; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Shusuke Yasukouchi; Shoko Konishi; Akiko Honda; Hirohisa Takano

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2017.04.008

Interactive effects of specific fine particulate matter compositions and airborne pollen on frequency of clinic visits for pollinosis in Fukuoka, Japan

Environ Res. 2017 Jul:156:411-419. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.04.008. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
² Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: uedak@health.env.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
³ The National Hospital Organization (NHO) Fukuoka Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
⁴ Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.
⁵ Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.

PMID: 28410518
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.04.008

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have revealed the interactive effects of airborne pollen and particulate matter on the daily consultations for pollinosis, but it is uncertain which compositions are responsible. This study aimed to investigate the interactive effects of specific PM_2.5 compositions and airborne pollen on the daily number of clinic visits for pollinosis in Fukuoka.

Methods: We obtained daily data on pollen concentrations, PM_2.5 compositions, PM_2.5 mass, gaseous pollutants (SO₂, NO₂, CO, and O₃), and weather variables monitored in Fukuoka between February and April, 2002-2012. In total, 73,995 clinic visits for pollinosis were made at 10 clinics in Fukuoka Prefecture during the study period. A time-stratified case-crossover design was applied to examine the interactive effects. The concentrations of PM_2.5 and its compositions were stratified into low (<15th percentile), moderate (15th-85th percentile), and high (>85th percentile) levels, and the association between airborne pollen and daily clinic visits for pollinosis was analyzed within each level.

Results: We found a significant interaction between specific PM_2.5 compositions and airborne pollen. Specifically, the odds ratio of daily clinic visits for pollinosis per interquartile increase in pollen concentration (39.8 grains/cm²) at the average cumulative lag of 0 and 2 days during high levels of non-sea-salt Ca²⁺ was 1.446 (95% CI: 1.323-1.581), compared to 1.075 (95% CI: 1.067-1.083) when only moderate levels were observed. This result remained significant when other air pollutants were incorporated into the model and was fairly persistent even when different percentile cut-off points were used. A similar interaction was found when we stratified the data according to non-sea-salt SO₄^2- levels. This finding differed from estimates made according to PM_2.5 and NO₃^- levels, which predicted that the effects of pollen were strongest in the lower levels.

Conclusions: Associations between airborne pollen and daily clinic visits for pollinosis could be enhanced by high levels of specific PM_2.5 compositions, especially non-sea-salt Ca²⁺.

Keywords: Air pollution; Allergic disease; Particulate matter composition; Pollen; Pollinosis.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / toxicity*
Allergens / toxicity*
Ambulatory Care* / statistics & numerical data
Cross-Over Studies
Humans
Japan / epidemiology
Particle Size
Particulate Matter / chemistry
Particulate Matter / toxicity*
Pollen / toxicity*
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / chemically induced
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / epidemiology*

Substances

Air Pollutants
Allergens
Particulate Matter