Chest
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Observational Study
Associations Between Air Pollution and the Onset of Acute Exacerbations of COPD: A Time-Stratified Case-Crossover Study in China.
Associations between air pollution and the acute exacerbations (AEs) of COPD have been established primarily in time-series studies in which exposure and health data were at the aggregate level, limiting the identification of susceptible populations. ⋯ This study provides robust evidence that short-term exposure to fine particulate matter and inhalable particulate matter was associated with higher odds of AEs of COPD onset. Individuals who are young, have severe COPD, or whose first diagnosis of COPD was made when they were between 20 and 50 years of age and experience an exacerbation during the cooler seasons may be particularly susceptible.