Researchers of a study recently published in the Journal of Asthma have reported a positive association between methyl-bromide concentrations and asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits among youths between the ages of 6 and 18 years in California.
This study included 4262 visits to the ED. The study population was 44.4% Hispanic, 23.5% nonHispanic black, and 32% nonHispanic white, with 12.7% of participants aged 2 to 5 years, 24.6% aged 6 to 18 years, 30.5% aged 19 to 40 years, 25.1% aged 41 to 64 years, and 7.1% age ≥65 years (mean age 31.3±21.2).
All visits took place between 2005 and 2011 in southern and central California, with data collected between August and February of each calendar year because these months contained the highest ambient air concentrations of methyl-bromide. Information was sourced from the state’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CI for each 0.01-ppb increase in methyl-bromide concentration were calculated using conditional logistic regression.
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