Assessing the Impact of Specific PM2.5-Bound Metallic Elements on Asthma Emergency Department Visits: A Case-Crossover Study in Taiwan

This study aims to assess the specific PM2.5-bound metallic elements that contribute to asthma emergency department visits by using a case-crossover study design. This study analyzed data from 11,410 asthma emergency department visits as case group and 22,820 non-asthma onset dates occurring one week and two weeks preceding the case day as controls from 2017 to 2020. PM2.5 monitoring data and 35 PM2.5-bound metallic elements from six different regions in Taiwan were collected. Conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between asthma and PM2.5-bound metallic elements. Our investigation revealed a statistically significant risk of asthma emergency department visits associated with PM2.5 exposure at lag 0, 1, 2, and 3 during autumn. Additionally, PM2.5-bound hafnium (Hf), thallium (Tl), rubidium (Rb), and aluminum (Al) exhibited a consistently significant positive correlation with asthma emergency department visits at lags 1, 2, and 3. In stratified analyses by area, age, and sex, PM2.5-bound Hf showed a significant and consistent correlation. This study provides evidence of PM2.5-bound metallic elements effects in asthma exacerbations, particularly for Hf. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the origins of these metallic elements and pursuing emission reductions to mitigate regional health risks.