Pollution Link To Thousands Of Pneumonia Deaths

Pollution could be responsible for thousands of deaths from pneumonia across England, suggests research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The annual death toll is comparable to that caused by the London smog in 1952, suggests the author, emeritus professor at the University of Birmingham, George Knox.

The findings are based on data on atmospheric emissions, certified causes of death, and expected causes of death for 352 local authorities in England. The information was combined to calculate the impact of pollution on death rates between 1996 and 2004. The calculations revealed that air pollution levels varied substantially among the local authorities.

Unsurprisingly, pneumonia, peptic ulcer, coronary and rheumatic heart diseases, lung and stomach cancers were all associated with deprivation, smoking, binge drinking. And the death toll was higher in the north of the country.

But death rates were also associated with a range of emissions. Further analysis, allowing for the effects of the social factors, showed that pneumonia deaths were strongly and independently linked to emissions, with the exception of sulphur dioxide from coal burning.

The primary culprits were emissions associated with oil combustion, including vehicle and engine exhaust fumes.

During the eight years of the study there were almost 390,000 deaths from pneumonia.

And 35 local authorities accounted for almost 54,000 of these deaths, or around 15,000 more than would be expected.

"Total annual losses as a result of air pollution probably approach those of the 1952 London smog,” writes Professor Knox.

Because the links were so strong across all categories of exposure, and deaths were so much higher than would be expected, this suggests that these chemicals have a direct role in damaging lung tissue, he suggests.

Excess deaths from the progressive lung disease COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and rheumatic heart disease, both of which are characterised by failing lung function, could also be precipitated by emissions from engine exhaust, he adds.

Source: J Epidemiol Commun Health 2008; 62: 442-7

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