%0 Journal Article
%T Saharan dust and association between particulate matter and case-specific mortality: a case-crossover analysis in Madrid (Spain)
%A Julio D¨ªaz
%A Aurelio Tob¨ªas
%A Cristina Linares
%J Environmental Health
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1476-069x-11-11
%X We investigated the effects of exposure to PM10 between January 2003 and December 2005 in Madrid (Spain) on daily case-specific mortality; changes of effects between Saharan and non-Saharan dust days were assessed using a time-stratified case-crossover design.Saharan dust affected 20% of days in the city of Madrid. Mean concentration of PM10 was higher during dust days (47.7 ¦Ìg/m3) than non-dust days (31.4 ¦Ìg/m3). The rise of mortality per 10 ¦Ìg/m3 PM10 concentration were always largely for Saharan dust-days. When stratifying by season risks of PM10, at lag 1, during Saharan dust days were stronger for respiratory causes during cold season (IR% = 3.34% (95% CI: 0.36, 6.41) versus 2.87% (95% CI: 1.30, 4.47)) while for circulatory causes effects were stronger during warm season (IR% = 4.19% (95% CI: 1.34, 7.13) versus 2.65% (95% CI: 0.12, 5.23)). No effects were found for cerebrovascular causes.We found evidence of strongest effects of particulate matter during Saharan dust days, providing a suggestion of effect modification, even though interaction terms were not statistically significant. Further investigation is needed to understand the mechanism by which Saharan dust increases mortality.The increased levels of particulate matter in a given geographical area are mainly influenced by the intrusion of natural origin such as those related to the advection of dust from the desert [1]. Obviously, the areas which are closer to the great deserts are the most affected by this type of events. In the case of the Saharan desert, Southern European countries are largely influenced by dust intrusions [2]. Dust particles can also be transported over long distances by atmospheric circulation, reaching the Near East end the Americas [3].Saharan dust events can contribute to exceedances of PM10 daily European Union Limit of 50 ¦Ìg/m3 [2,4]. Moreover, these particles can carry biological material that makes them potentially harmful to health [5]. Among the diseases that would be affec
%U http://www.ehjournal.net/content/11/1/11