Short-term impact of particulate matter (PM2.5) on respiratory mortality in Madrid

OBJECTIVES: This paper sought to quantify the particulate matter (PM(2.5)) pollutant's impact on short-term daily respiratory-cause mortality in the city of Madrid. METHODS: As our dependent variable, we took daily mortality registered in Madrid from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2005, attributed to all diseases of the respiratory system as classified under heads J00-J99 of the ICD 10 and broken down as follows: J12-J18, pneumonia; J40-J44, chronic diseases of the respiratory system except asthma; J45-J46, asthma; and J96, respiratory failure. RESULTS: The relative risk (RR) for daily overall respiratory mortality was RR 1.0281 (1.0043-1.0520), with a proportional attributable risk (PAR) of 2.74%. This effect occurred in lag 1; respiratory failure, RR 1.0816 (1.0119-1.1512) and PAR 7.54% at lag 5; and pneumonia, RR 1.0438 (1.0001-1.0875) and PAR 4.19% at lag 6. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reflect the association that exists between PM(2.5) concentrations and daily respiratory-cause mortality.