Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of JAMA Network Open, 7(12), e2450759. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.50759 Dr. Mary E. Maldarelli et al.
Points
- Wildfire smoke from Western Canada significantly increased cardiopulmonary clinical encounters in Maryland during six hotspot days in June 2023, with PM2.5 levels exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard.
- A 20% rise in adjusted odds for cardiac disease-related encounters was observed during hotspot days compared to control years, indicating a substantial health burden.
- Patients from higher socioeconomic backgrounds were disproportionately affected, suggesting disparities in vulnerability to wildfire smoke exposure.
- The findings underscore that wildfire smoke from distant locations can exacerbate cardiopulmonary disease, impacting health far from the source.
- The study highlights the need for monitoring, awareness, and interventions to mitigate the health impact of wildfire smoke, particularly in urban and rural communities in the Eastern U.S.
Summary
This study aimed to investigate the impact of wildfire smoke from Western Canada on cardiopulmonary disease burden in the Eastern United States, specifically Maryland. Using satellite data and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) records, the researchers identified six days in June 2023 with high levels of wildfire smoke-related air pollution. These days were designated as “hotspot days” due to particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (35 μg/m3). The study examined clinical encounters for cardiopulmonary diseases across inpatient, ambulatory, and emergency department settings in an extensive, diverse medical system in Maryland, comparing these hotspot days to control days from 2018 and 2019.
The results revealed a significant increase in cardiopulmonary clinical encounters during the identified hotspot days. In June 2023, there were 2,339 cardiopulmonary encounters, of which 588 (25.1%) occurred during the hotspot days, compared with 806 of 3,609 encounters (22.3%) during control years (P = 0.01). The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for increased clinical encounters on hotspot days was 1.18 (95% CI, 1.03–1.34; P = 0.02). A more significant increase in encounters was observed for cardiac diseases, with a 20% increase in adjusted odds (aOR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.01–1.42; P = 0.04).
The study suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke, even at distant locations, can exacerbate the burden of cardiopulmonary disease. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors appeared to influence the incidence of cardiopulmonary encounters during these events, with patients from higher socioeconomic backgrounds being more affected. These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and public health interventions to mitigate the impact of remote wildfire smoke on health, especially in urban and rural communities in the Eastern U.S.
Link to the article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2828029
References Maldarelli, M. E., Song, H., Brown, C. H., Situt, M., Reilly, C., Mahurkar, A. A., Felix, V., Crabtree, J., Ellicott, E., Jurczak, M. O., Pant, B., Gumel, A., Zafari, Z., D’Souza, W., Sapkota, A., & Maron, B. A. (2024). Polluted air from canadian wildfires and cardiopulmonary disease in the eastern us. JAMA Network Open, 7(12), e2450759. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.50759
