Air pollution and hospitalization for epilepsy in Chile.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between gaseous and fine particulate air pollution (PM(2.5)) and epilepsy in a general population sample.

METHOD: A daily time-series analyses tested the association between daily hospitalization for epilepsy in seven Chilean urban centers during the period 2001 and 2005. Results were adjusted for long term trends, day-of-the-week, and average humidex on the day of hospitalization and the day before.

RESULTS

Pooled city estimates of relative risk (95% CI) of hospitalization for epilepsy associated with changes in pollutant concentrations equivalent to their interquartile range were: 1.098(1.045, 1.155) for carbon monoxide (CO); 1.100 (1.025, 1.181) for ozone O(3); 1.085 (1.03, 1.144) for sulfur dioxide (SO(2)); 1.108 (1.021, 1.204) for nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)); 1.083(1.038, 1.13) for particulate matter <or= 10 microm diameter (PM(10)); and 1.065(1.002, 1.132) for fine particulate matter <or=2.5 microm diameter (PM(2.5)). These results were not significantly influenced by age, sex, or season.

INTERPRETATION: Air pollution may be a risk factor for hospitalization for epilepsy.