CANARIO, Paulo; FRAGOSO, Marcelo; MORA, Carla    NOGUEIRA, Helena. Environmental conditions and childhood asthma in Lisbon: An exploratory analysis for autumn thunderstorms. []. , 98, pp.179-196. ISSN 0430-5027.

^len^aAsthma attacks triggered by thunderstorms have been described in several countries. The rises in pollen concentrations, attributed to atmospheric electrical discharges, were considered the leading cause of these outbreaks. The presence of various pollutants as well as certain weather conditions may contribute synergistically to the onset of exacerbations in patients with a previous diagnosis of asthma. This study aims to investigate whether atmospheric electrical discharges exert any influence on the number of emergency admissions due to childhood asthma, in autumn, in Lisbon. The investigation will examine whether there are isolated or combined effects of meteorological variables, pollutant and pollen concentrations that favour an increase in the number of exacerbations of asthma symptoms. For this purpose we compared the number of asthma admissions in periods with and without thunderstorms in a Lisbon paediatric emergency service. Increasing pollen concentrations attributed to thunderstorms reported in the literature were not found in Lisbon in the days analysed. There was also an absence of relationship between admissions for asthma and air pollution. Associations between hospitalisations due to asthma crisis and atmospheric variables were documented. In Lisbon, no influence of atmospheric electrical discharges in the variation of the number of emergency admissions due to childhood asthma was verified in the studied period (autumn). On the contrary, it was verified that a decrease in minimum temperature positively reinforces these admissions^lpt^aCrises de asma desencadeadas por trovoadas têm sido descritas em vários países, como consequência do aumento das concentrações de pólenes. Vários poluentes e certas condições meteorológicas podem contribuir sinergicamente para a agudização dos sintomas em indivíduos com asma. Investiga-se se as descargas eléctricas atmosféricas (DEA) aumentam as admissões hospitalares à urgência infantil, no Outono, em Lisboa. Analisaram-se as entradas numa urgência pediátrica em Lisboa, comparando o número de admissões por asma em períodos com e sem trovoadas. O aumento das concentrações de pólenes no ar, atribuído às trovoadas não se verificou, em Lisboa, no período analisado. Confirmou-se também a ausência de relação entre admissões por asma e poluentes e documentaram-se associações entre aquelas e as variáveis atmosféricas. Não se observou associação entre descargas eléctricas atmosféricas e admissões ao serviço de Urgência pediátrico por asma. No entanto, verificou-se que a diminuição da temperatura mínima provocou o aumento de admissões hospitalares por asma no período estudado^lfr^aConditions atmosphériques et asthme infantile à Lisbonne: une analyse pr éliminaire portant sur les jours orageux. On a décrit en divers pays une augmentation des crises d'asthme pendant les jours d'orage, surtout à cause d'un accroissement des concentrations en pollens, liées aux décharges électriques. Mais d'autres causes peuvent être la présence de divers polluants dans l'air ou encore certaines situations météorologiques. On a comparé le nombre de décharges électriques au nombre d'admissions en urgence infantile causées par l'asthme, pendant un automne à Lisbonne. On n'a pas observé d'augmentation de la concentration de l'air en pollens, attribuée aux orages dans la bibliographie pendant cette période, ni de rapport entre les admissions pour asthme et la concentration en polluants ou la fréquence de décharges électriques. Il semble, par contre, que la baisse de la température minimale provoque une augmentation de ces admissions

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