Effects of Asian dust storm events on daily hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease in Taipei, Taiwan

In spring, windblown dust storms originating in the deserts of Mongolia and China make their way to Taipei city. These occurrences are known as Asian dust storm (ADS) events. The objective of this study was to assess the possible effects of ADS on the hospital cardiovascular disease (CVD) admissions of residents in Taipei, Taiwan, during the period from 1996 to 2001. Fifty-four dust storm episodes, which were classified as index days, were identified. Daily CVD admissions on index days were compared with admissions on comparison days. Two comparison days were selected for each index day, 7 d before the index day and 7 d after the index day. The effects of dust storms on CVD were prominent 1 d after the event (3.65% increase). However, the association was not statistically significant. Nonetheless, it may be worthwhile to focus more on the potential adverse effects of ADS events in the future.