Short-term effects of pollen species on hospital admissions in the city of Madrid in terms of specific causes and age

Background In recent years there has been a notable increase in respiratory diseases in industrialised countries, which is attributed to a combination of chemical atmospheric pollution and the allergens existing in the atmosphere of big cities. Few studies, however, have analysed the effect of different pollen species on the different causes of hospital admissions other than those exclusively owing to asthma. Objective The aim of this investigation was to analyse the influence of the most abundant pollen species with the highest allergenic potential in Madrid’s atmosphere on daily emergency hospital admissions – from all causes and specific causes – according to different age groups. Methods An ecological time-series design was adopted in which the effects were quantified using Poisson regression models, taking into account different confusion factors, such as chemical and acoustic atmospheric pollution. Results Statistically significant associations were found between pollen species and hospital admissions due to respiratory causes, and between pollen species and all causes of hospital admissions and, to a lesser degree, circulatory causes. The impact was greater in the younger age groups. Concentrations of Poaceae and Platanus pollen species were the factors showing the highest correlation to the different causes of admission. Conclusion The relative risks analysis revealed a significant effect between the pollen species analysed and health for admitted patients of all age groups; this effect was greater than that detected for the environmental variables traditionally analysed in urban atmospheres.