Effect of environmental conditions on emergency department use by wheezing children.

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 colinearity. 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.