Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) and the risk of acute ischemic stroke.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Short-term changes in levels of fine ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) may increase the risk of acute ischemic stroke; however, results from prior studies have been inconsistent. We examined this hypothesis using data from a multicenter prospective stroke registry.

Methods

We analyzed data from 9202 patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke, having a documented date and time of stroke onset, and residing within 50 km of a PM2.5 monitor in 8 cities in Ontario, Canada. We evaluated the risk of ischemic stroke onset associated with PM2.5 in each city using a time-stratified case-crossover design, matching on day of week and time of day. We then combined these city-specific estimates using random-effects meta-analysis techniques. We examined whether the effect

SUBMITTER: O'Donnell MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3102528 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature