Cerebral ischemic attack, epilepsy and hospital admitted patients with types of headaches attributed to PM10 mass concentration in Abadan, Iran

Abstract Air pollution related damage to the Central Nervous System (CNS) has been widely neglected in studies of air pollution and adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate hospital admissions in Abadan, Iran for several neurological diseases including cerebral ischemic attack, epilepsy, and various types of headache on days with polluted air compared with clean days. Abadan is a city in Khuzestan Province that is located in southwestern Iran and experiences many sand and dust storms. The sampling station was located on the roof of the Department of Environment (DoE) in Abadan. Sampling was conducted over four years (from March 2012 to July 2016). Hospital admissions of patients with cerebral ischemic attack, epilepsy, and headache types from March 2012 to July 2016 were obtained from the Hospital Information System (HIS). This study showed that hospital admissions for patients with cerebral ischemic attack, epilepsy, and patients with types of headaches on dusty days increased significantly compared to hospital admissions on clean days. Also hospital admissions of these patients significantly increased with increased concentrations of coarse particulate matter (PM10). Ambient PM10 concentrations in Abadan were relatively high. Significant increases in hospital admissions in this study were related to high PM10 concentrations. Elderly and women were susceptible subpopulations showing more sensitivity to dust compared with the rest of the population. Staying indoors and using facial respirators under these emergency conditions could be effective in protecting these sensitive subjects against dust.