| COMEAP statement on the study by Poloniecki
et al: Daily time series for cardiovascular admissions and
previous day's air pollution in London, UK |
1. A recent study by Poloniecki et al has reported a statistically
significant association between the daily incidence of myocardial infarction
and daily concentrations of several air pollutants including especially
carbon monoxide and particulate matter. The authors suggest that some
6,000 myocardial infarctions may each year be related to exposure to air
pollutants. This is an important finding and the first report from a UK-based
group of an association between air pollution and myocardial infarction.
2. The method used by the authors is that of time-series analysis of
epidemiological data. This well established technique has been used during
the past ten or so years to demonstrate a number of important associations
between air pollution and a range of indices of damage to health. By the
nature of such studies it is not possible to say whether reported myocardial
infarctions would or would not have occurred at a later date had there
been no exposure to air pollution.
Secretariat
1997
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