The relationship between environmental air pollution, meteorological factors, and emergency service admissions for epileptic attacks in children

• Published in: Epilepsy research 2022-11, Vol.187, p.107026, Article 107026
• Main Authors: Yalçın, Gülşen, Sayınbatur, Bahattin, Toktaş, İzzettin, Gürbay, Aylin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air pollution; Air Pollution - adverse effects; Child; China; Emergency Service, Hospital; Epilepsy - epidemiology; Epileptic attack; Humans; Meteorological Concepts; Meteorological factor; Retrospective Studies; Retrospective study; Seizures
• ISSN: 0920-1211; 1872-6844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.107026

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between exposure to acute air pollution and meteorological factors on the frequency of epileptic attacks in children. This retrospective study was carried using patient files from a children’s hospital in Diyarbakır, one of the largest cities in Turkey. In the present study, the possible relationship between epileptic attacks seen in children over a 10-year period, two air polluting factors (PM10 and SO2), and the meteorological factors (air pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind speed) affecting them were investigated. The effects of different variables on the number of epilepsy patients admitted to the pediatric emergency department were also evaluated through four different models utilizing Poisson Regression Analysis. According to Model 2 and 3, the strongest relationship of the four Poisson Regression models, there was a significantly increased risk of pediatric emergency department admissions for seizures associated with a 10 µm/m3 increase in PM10 (IRR=1.020; 95% CI: 1.018–1.022); IRR= 1.071; 95% CI: 1.050–1.081; respectively) and 10 µm/m3 increase in SO2 (IRR=1.162; 95%CI: 1.151–1.173; IRR=1.092; 95% CI: 1.042–1.120; respectively). In Model 2, a 1 m/s increase in wind speed decrease the risk of daily of epileptic attack admitted to the emergency department and a 1 °C increase in temperature increased the risk of daily of epileptic attack admitted to the emergency department (IRR=0.840; 95% CI; 0.714–0.987; IRR=1.033; 95%CI: 1.007–1.059; respectively). In Model 3, 1% increase in humidity and 1 m/s increase in wind speed increased the number of daily epileptic attack admitted to the emergency department (IRR=1.008; 95%CI: 1.004–1.011; IRR=1.169; 95%CI: 1.056–1.294; respectively). The daily number of epilepsy patients was statistically significantly affected by the autumn (95%CI: 10.017–19.845) and winter (95%CI: −0.279 to 13.292) seasons. Meteorological factors and air pollutants affect the number of pediatric patients admitted to the pediatric emergency department with epilepsy attacks. •This study is the first to examine the relationship between daily air pollution parameters and the number of daily epileptic attacks in children in Turkey.•There is a relationship between meteorological factors, air pollutants and childhood epileptic attacks.•There is significant increase in number of epilepsy patients who applied to the pediatric emergency service in winter and autumn.•The models created are