2012 Colorado wildfire PM raised asthma visits
During a 32-day 2012 fire period, modeled PM2.5 associated with asthma/wheeze and COPD ED visits; cardiovascular associations were largely null.
Source
The association of wildfire smoke with respiratory and cardiovascular emergency department visits in Colorado in 2012: a case crossover study
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2012 Colorado wildfire PM raised asthma visits
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Analyses spanned 32 observations per stratum from June 5 to July 6, 2012.
The analyses spanned from June 5, 2012 to July 6, 2012, thus resulting in 32 observations per stratum.
Were cardiovascular associations consistent?
Overall, the cardiovascular disease effect estimates in our study were fairly consistent with no association although some confidence intervals were wide.
What they did
A grid-stratified case-crossover linked 1-h max and 24-h mean PM2.5 (fire-smoke model) to Colorado ED/hospitalization codes from 5 June–6 July 2012, controlling day-of-week and temperature.
What they found
Asthma/wheeze 24-h mean OR 1.04 per 5 μg/m³; COPD OR 1.05 per 5 μg/m³. 1-h max ORs were 1.01 per 10 μg/m³. Cardiovascular estimates were consistent with no association; model absolute bias was ~13 μg/m³ in Denver.
The limits
What it doesn't show
One fire season and wide CVD confidence intervals (low case counts) cannot rule out cardiovascular effects; exposure model bias was large near fires.
Key terms
- Wildfire PM2.5
- Fine particles in smoke plumes, here modeled on a 12 km grid.
- Case-crossover
- Each grid is its own control across days, controlling time-invariant place factors.
- 1-h max vs 24-h mean
- Peak hourly versus daily-average PM2.5 metrics.
- COPD
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ED diagnoses.
- Absolute bias
- Mean absolute difference between modeled and monitor PM2.5.
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Quiz yourself
Wildfire PM2.5 was positively associated with:
Common questions
Which outcomes rose with PM2.5?
Asthma/wheeze and COPD.
CVD?
Fairly consistent with no association.
Study window?
5 June–6 July 2012 (32 days).
24-h asthma OR?
1.04 per 5 μg/m³.
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