Abstract
Introduction: Particulate matter air pollution constitutes an important factor affecting the course of various respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Two main monitored groups of particulate pollution are particulate matter with the aerodynamic diameter below 10 μm (PM10) and 2.5 μm (PM2.5). One of the most important respiratory diseases is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Clinical presentation of COPD and cardiovascular diseases is similar and can cause complications during therapy. The study explores connection between particulate matter and COPD exacerbations in population with cardiovascular cause of symptoms excluded. Material and methods: Analysis was based on data from hospitalisations in the years 2006–2016 in the hospitals of Upper Silesian Agglomeration, Poland. The data were correlated with meteorological conditions and particulate matter concentrations up to 90 days before hospital admission. Results: During the whole observation period no connection between PM10 concentration changes and COPD exacerbations were observed. On the other hand PM 2.5 influence started to be significant on 14 day before admission (RR 1.06) and increased up to maximal analysed period of 90 days (RR 1.32). Conclusions: Overall this study highlights the importance of particulate matter pollution emission impact on COPD exacerbations in a long time perspective.