Particulate Matter and Risk of Hospital Admission in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: A Case-Crossover Study

A 10-μg/m³ increase in PM10 levels was associated with a 1.7% rise in respiratory hospitalizations and 2.29% in cardiovascular admissions, highlighting the severe health risks of air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley, where daily PM10 concentrations averaged 120 μg/m³, peaking at 403 μg/m³. This study, using time-stratified case-crossover analysis with data from six major hospitals (2004–2007), is among the first to quantify pollution-related hospitalization risks in South Asia, revealing a significant burden despite limited evidence in the region.

Gurung, A., Son, J.-Y., & Bell, M. L. (2017). Particulate Matter and Risk of Hospital Admission in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: A Case-Crossover Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 186(5), 573–580. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwx135