PURPOSE: Though numerous studies investigating ambient ozone (O(3)) effects on human health were published, such a study for Central Europe is still lacking. We have investigated the association between ozone (O(3)) levels and hospital admissions and mortality due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases for Prague inhabitants for summer months (April-September) over the 5-year period 2002-2006. Our hypothesis was that ambient O(3) levels in Prague resulted in adverse health outcomes and were associated with increased mortality and hospital admissions. METHODS: The effect of O(3) on mortality and hospital admissions was investigated using the negative binomial regression after controlling for the influence of meteorological factors (air temperature and relative humidity) and calendar effects (seasonal patterns, long-term trends and day of week). RESULTS: We found a statistically significant association between O(3) levels and daily mortality from respiratory diseases. Relative risk of 1.080 (95% CI: 1.031-1.132) was observed for mortality from respiratory diseases per 10 μg m(-3) increase in 1-day lagged daily mean O(3) concentration. No statistically significant association was detected between O(3) concentrations and daily mortality from all causes, daily mortality from cardiovascular diseases and hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The O(3) effects differed in men and women, nevertheless, the results were ambiguous with respect to used lag and O(3) metrics. No significant confounding effects of PM(10) on the investigated association were observed. CONCLUSIONS: O(3) exposure in Prague, though lower as compared to many other cities in Europe, is high enough to cause adverse health effects.

• MeSH
• Hospitalization statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Cardiovascular Diseases mortality   MeSH
• Air Pollutants analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Ozone analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Respiration Disorders mortality   MeSH
• Cities statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Health Status * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Cities statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Air Pollutants MeSH
• Ozone MeSH

Political and economical transition in the Central and Eastern Europe at the end of eighties significantly influenced all aspects of life as well as technological infrastructure. Collapse of outdated energy demanding industry and adoption of environmental legislation resulted in seeming improvements of urban environmental quality. Hand in hand with modernization the newly adopted regulations also helped to phase out low quality coal frequently used for domestic heating. However, at the same time, the number of vehicles registered in the city increased. The two processes interestingly acted as parallel but antagonistic forces. To interpret the trends in urban air quality of Prague, Czech capital, monthly averages of PM(10), SO(2), NO(2), NO, O(3) and CO concentrations from the national network of automated monitoring stations were analyzed together with long term trends in fuel consumption and number of vehicles registered in Prague within a period of 1992-2005. The results showed that concentrations of SO(2) (a pollutant strongly related to fossil fuel burning) dropped significantly during the period of concern. Similarly NO(X) and PM(10) concentrations decreased significantly in the first half of the nineties (as a result of solid fuel use drop), but remained rather stable or increased after 2000, presumably reflecting rapid increase of traffic density. In conclusion, infrastructural changes in early nineties had a strong positive effect on Prague air quality namely in the first half of the period studied, nevertheless, the current trend in concentrations of automotive exhaust related pollutants (such as PM(10), NO(X)) needs adoption of stricter measures.

• MeSH
• Air Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring methods   MeSH
• Nitrogen Dioxide analysis   MeSH
• Nitric Oxide analysis   MeSH
• Sulfur Dioxide analysis   MeSH
• Carbon Monoxide analysis   MeSH
• Ozone analysis   MeSH
• Particulate Matter analysis   MeSH
• Vehicle Emissions analysis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Air Pollutants MeSH
• Nitrogen Dioxide MeSH
• Nitric Oxide MeSH
• Sulfur Dioxide MeSH
• Carbon Monoxide MeSH
• Ozone MeSH
• Particulate Matter MeSH
• Vehicle Emissions MeSH

Trends in total suspended particulates (TSP) emission inventories were compared with ambient TSP concentrations during the period of 1993-1999 in the Czech Republic. The TSP annual emission decreased within the period of observation from 441,300 to 67,000 of metric tonnes (by 85%). During the same period a less pronounced downward trend from 80.3 microg m(-3) to 31.5 microg m(-3) (decrease by 61%) was noted also for the ambient TSP annual average. Difference between the two air quality indicators seems to indicate that changes in TSP emission inventories from year to year are being to some extent overestimated. Monthly ambient particulate concentrations did not respond to overall drop in emissions proportionately but were closely associated with monthly mean temperatures. While in the winter the correlation between ambient TSP and temperature was negative, in summer the correlation between the two variables was positive. In spring and autumn there was no clear correlation between temperature and ambient particulate pollution. The improvement of air quality in the Czech Republic since the economical and political transformation in 1990s is substantial when demonstrated by emission figures, however, true state of particulate pollution expressed by ambient levels requires further attention.

• MeSH
• Air Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring MeSH
• Politics MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Particle Size MeSH
• Environment MeSH
• Air Pollution prevention & control   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Air Pollutants MeSH