Association between short-term exposure to air pollution and respiratory diseases among children in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

摘要

ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the quantitative association between short-term exposure to air pollution and respiratory disease outpatient visits among children in China. Methods: We searched articles from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2020 in six peer-reviewed literature databases following PRISMA guidelines. Results: Of 2668 records, 33 were included in meta-analysis. The pooled excess risks of respiratory disease outpatient visits among children in China per 10μg/m3 increase were 0.75 (95 CI: 0.54, 0.96) for PM2.5, 0.70 (95 CI: 0.50, 0.89) for PM10, 0.82 (95 CI: 0.58, 1.05) for SO2, 1.61 (95 CI: 1.25, 1.98) for NO2 and 0.74 (95 CI: 0.01, 1.46) for O3. In subgroup analysis, air pollution had a greater impact in southern or central cities, cold seasons, and areas with high relative humidity. Conclusions: Short-term exposure to air pollution was significantly associated with an increased excess risk of respiratory disease outpatient visits among children in China.