Effect of catastrophic wildfires on asthmatic outcomes in @entity28 XXXX : breathing fire.

@entity1 @entity28 @entity565 @entity10688 @entity228 @entity6411
BACKGROUND: Air pollutants from wildfires and @entity28 independently exacerbate @entity565 , yet no study has determined the combined effects of these 2 variables on @entity565 outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of 2 catastrophic wildfires affecting the Southern California region (in 2003 and 2007) on several @entity565 outcomes in a cohort of @entity1 . METHODS: To investigate the association between wildfire exposure and @entity565 outcomes, we stratified our study population by body mass index categories (underweight, normal, overweight, and @entity28 ) and @entity10688 codes (to distinguish individuals who were closer to the fires vs farther away). The primary outcome was the prevalence of physician-dispensed short-acting b-agonist (SABAs). Secondary outcomes included the rate of emergency department visits and/or hospitalizations for @entity565 , the frequency of oral @entity228 use for @entity565 , and number of new diagnoses of @entity565 . RESULTS: A total of 2,195 and 3,965 asthmatic @entity1 were analyzed as part of our retrospective cohort during the 2003 and 2007 wildfires, respectively. @entity6411 dispensing increased the most in the @entity28 group after the 2003 wildfires (P < .05). Increased prevalence of @entity6411 dispensing was also noted in the @entity28 group in 2007, but this was not statistically higher than the increases seen in other body mass index groups. There was no observed increase in emergency department and/or hospitalization rates, oral @entity228 dispensing frequency, or new @entity565 diagnoses after either wildfire. CONCLUSION: Catastrophic wildfires lead to worsening @entity565 outcomes, particularly in @entity28 individuals. This study gives further evidence of a link between @entity28 and @entity565 severity and suggests that air pollutants released during wildfires can have substantial detrimental effects on @entity565 control.
