Grant: Project Grant

Outdoor air pollutants such as particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5) are known to contribute to acute cardiovascular morbidity but the potential role of aeroallergens including pollen or fungal spores has been largely overlooked. Such a relationship is biologically plausible as numerous case reports have documented the occurrence of "allergic myocardial infarction" (also known as Kounis syndrome) following allergic reactions to insect bites, foods, or medications. However, surprisingly little research has evaluated the relationship between short-term changes in outdoor aeroallergen concentrations and acute myocardial infarction. This is attributable in part to an absence of exposure models for outdoor aeroallergens in Canadian cities, and the few studies that do exist rely on single monitors to reflect exposures for entire cities. In this study, we will develop new high-resolution exposure models for outdoor aeroallergens (pollen and fungal spores) across three Canadian cities (Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal) and apply these models in new epidemiological analyses examining the relationship between daily spatiotemporal variations in outdoor aeroallergens and acute cardiovasular and respiratory hospitalizations using administrative outcome data. Collectively, this study will provide important information on the acute health impacts of an overlooked environmental exposure that is known to be increasing as a result of global climate change. In turn, our results can be used to improve public health messaging related to the potential health impacts of aeroallergens which now focuses predominantly on irritant issues (e.g., itchy eyes, congestion) but does not recognize the potential existence of more serious health concerns. Moreover, all exposure models developed as part of this study will be made publicly available and will serve as a resource for future studies exploring this topic.