Original contribution
Effect of environmental conditions on emergency department use by wheezing children

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0196-0644(05)81936-5Get rights and content

Study objective:

To examine in children the relationship of wheezing to measurable environmental factors.

Study design:

Multiple regression analysis was used to measure correlation with air quality, weather, and seasonal and infection-related variables.

Results:

Daily wheezing census was significantly correlated with weather and seasonal variables and the daily infection census. We are not certain which weather variable is the dominant factor in the weather association because all of the weather variables have some degree of collinearity. Air quality as measured by carbon monoxide and airborne particles was not shown to be associated with wheezing.

Conclusion:

A high incidence of pediatric emergency department presentations for wheezing are associated with weather, infections, and months of the year.

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  • Cited by (3)

    This study was supported by a grant from the Leahi Foundation and the University of Hawaii.

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