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. 2014 Aug 21;72(1):42–48. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2014-102266

Table 3.

Hazard ratios for the incidence of COPD for an interquartile change in each pollutant

Adjustment factors PM10 (n=807 401) PM2.5 (n=807 401) SO2 (n=800 360) NO2 (n=807 000) O3 (n=801 380)
HR 95% CI HR 95% CI HR 95% CI HR 95% CI HR 95% CI
Outcome=First diagnosis of COPD on GP record in 2003–2007, Exclusions=Any COPD recorded on GP record prior to 2003
 Age and sex 1.10 1.02 to 1.19 1.12 1.04 to 1.21 1.14 1.09 to 1.19 1.17 1.08 to 1.26 0.88 0.82 to 0.94
 +Smoking and BMI 1.06 0.99 to 1.13 1.07 1.00 to 1.15 1.11 1.07 to 1.16 1.11 1.03 to 1.20 0.91 0.85 to 0.97
 +IMD 0.99 0.93 to 1.05 1.00 0.94 to 1.06 1.07 1.03 to 1.11 1.03 0.96 to 1.11 0.94 0.89 to 1.00
 Full model (10 unit increase) 0.97 0.79 to 1.18 0.97 0.71 to 1.34 1.36 1.14 to 1.62 1.03 0.96 to 1.10 0.82 0.67 to 0.99
Outcome=First diagnosis of COPD on GP record in 2003–2007, Exclusions=Any Markers of Respiratory Disease prior to 2003*
 +IMD 1.01 0.94 to 1.09 1.02 0.94 to 1.09 1.08 1.03 to 1.13 1.04 0.96 to 1.13 0.94 0.87 to 1.00
Outcome=First Hospital Admission for COPD in 2003–2007, Exclusions=Any COPD recorded on GP record prior to 2003
 Age and sex 1.21 1.11 to 1.32 1.23 1.13 to 1.34 1.11 1.05 to 1.17 1.25 1.14 to 1.36 0.87 0.80 to 0.95
 +Smoking and BMI 1.15 1.06 to 1.24 1.16 1.08 to 1.26 1.08 1.02 to 1.13 1.17 1.08 to 1.28 0.90 0.84 to 0.97
 +IMD 1.05 0.98 to 1.12 1.05 0.98 to 1.13 1.01 0.97 to 1.07 1.06 0.98 to 1.15 0.96 0.90 to 1.02
 Full model (10 unit increase) 1.17 0.93 to 1.46 1.31 0.92 to 1.86 1.07 0.86 to 1.33 1.06 0.98 to 1.14 0.87 0.69 to 1.08
Outcome=First Hospital Admission for COPD in 2003–2007 with additional GP diagnosis, Exclusions=Any COPD recorded on GP record prior to 2003
 +IMD 1.05 0.96 to 1.14 1.05 0.97 to 1.14 1.04 0.98 to 1.10 1.04 0.94 to 1.15 0.97 0.90 to 1.05

Hazard ratios are for IQR change in pollutant level unless stated (PM10=3.0 µg/m3, PM2.5=1.9 µg/m3, SO2=2.2 µg/m3, NO2=10.7 µg/m3, O3=3.0 µg/m3). Practice is accounted for in the above models by the sandwich estimator to produce robust standard errors. *The numbers of patients in the analyses with this additional exclusion were: PM10/PM2.5 n=690 102, SO2 n=684 261, NO2 n=689 767, O3 n=684 261.

BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; GP, general practitioner; HES, hospital episode statistics; IMD, Index of Multiple Deprivation.