Month: February 2022

This study aimed to assess the effect of air pollution and weather conditions on the frequency of hospital admissions due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the population of Bialystok, known as the capital of the Green Lungs of Poland. The study analyzed the medical records of 2,645 patients living within the borders of Bialystok who were treated for ACS between 2009 and 2017 and the data on air pollutants—nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) and 10 μm or less (PM10) – and the basic meteorological factors (temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure). A time-stratified case-crossover study design was applied to assess the effects of particulate matter, the concentration of gases, and weather conditions on ACS.

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are the leading cause of death all over the world. In the last years, the chronobiology of their occurrence has been changing. Medical records of 10,529 patients hospitalized for ACS in the Medical University of Bialystok, in 2008–2017, were examined. The highest seasonal mean for ACS was recorded in spring and it was the season with the largest temperature changes from day to day (∆ temp. = 11.01). Analysis of weekly changes showed that the highest frequency of ACS occurred on Thursday, while in the STEMI subgroup it was Monday. Sunday was associated with decreased admissions due to all types of ACS.