Evaluating the impact of air pollution on the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the Perth Metropolitan Region: 2000–2010

Abstract

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a major public health issue. Several studies have found that an increased level of ambient particulate matter (PM) smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) is associated with an increased risk of OHCA. We investigated the relationship between air pollution levels and the incidence of OHCA in Perth, Western Australia.Methods: We linked St John Ambulance OHCA data of presumed cardiac aetiology with Perth air pollution data from seven monitors which recorded hourly levels of PM smaller than 2.5 and 10 microns (PM2.5/PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3). We used a case-crossover design to estimate the strength of association between ambient air pollution levels and risk of OHCA.Methods: We linked St John Ambulance OHCA data of presumed cardiac aetiology with Perth air pollution data from seven monitors which recorded hourly levels of PM smaller than 2.5 and 10 microns (PM2.5/PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3). We used a case-crossover design to estimate the strength of association between ambient air pollution levels and risk of OHCA.Conclusions: Elevated ambient PM2.5 and CO are associated with an increased risk of OHCA.