Effects of climate change on respiratory health.
| Study | Population/Area | Exposure | Outcomes | Effect estimation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXHAUSTION Zafeiratou et al., 2023 [72] | Norway, Germany, England and Wales, all ages | Warm: average temperature increases between the 75th and 99th percentiles of the summer temperature distribution | Respiratory mortality (total) | RR 1.27 (95% CI 1.19–1.34). Greater risk for the elderly and women |
| MultiCityMultiCountry Scovronick et al., 2024 [73] | 532 cities in 33 countries (Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa) (including 16 Italian cities) | Extreme heat (99th percentile temperature vs. minimum mortality temperature) | Respiratory mortality (total) | Greater effect in the elderly |
| BIGEPI (Stafoggia et al., 2023; Di Blasi et al., 2023) [80, 81] | Italy (national) | Warm—average temperature increments between the 75th and 99th percentiles of the summer temperature distribution | Respiratory mortality (total) | + 37% (95% CI 33–42) on hot days compared to milder summer days |
| Med-Particles (Stafoggia et al., 2016) [90] | 13 cities in the Mediterranean basin (includes 8 Italian cities) | Desert dust (10 μg/m3 increase in PM10-desert component) | Respiratory mortality | Increase of 0.55% (95% CI 0.24–0.87) |
| Zauli Sajani et al., 2011 [91] | 6 cities in Emilia Romagna | Desert dust (10 μg/m3 increase in PM10-desert component) | Respiratory mortality | Increase of 22.0% (95% CI 4.0–43.1) |
| Systematic reviews | ||||
| Cheng et al., 2019 [78] | 27 studies on adults from 20 countries (Australia, America, Europe, Asia) | Heat waves (different definitions incl. extreme temperatures) | Respiratory mortality (total and COPD) | RR 1.18 (95% CI 1.09–1.28) on wave days compared to non-wave days. Greater effect on mortality from COPD and in the elderly |
| Cheng et al., 2019 [78] | 20 studies on adults from 20 countries (Australia, America, Europe, Asia) | Heat waves (different definitions incl. extreme temperatures) | Respiratory morbidity (hospital admissions, ED visits, ambulance calls) | RR 1.043 (95% CI 0.995–1.093) on wave days compared to non-wave days. Significant effects only on admissions and admissions to the ED |
| Tobías et al., 2025 [89] | 71 studies on all continents | Desert dust transport (days with desert dust advections vs. days without) | Respiratory mortality | RR 1.0001 (95% CI 0.9773–1.0277) |
| Tobías et al., 2025 [89] | 71 studies on all continents | Desert dust transport (days with desert dust advections vs. days without) | Respiratory morbidity | RR 1.0693 (95% CI 1.0188–1.1224) |
CI: confidence interval; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ED: emergency department; PM10: atmospheric particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 10 μm; RR: relative risk.
Supplementary materials for this article are available at: https://www.explorationpub.com/uploads/Article/file/1009135_sup_1.pdf.
This document represents a virtuous example of national scientific collaboration, born from the joint commitment of experts of nine scientific societies, which have shared skills, data and strategic vision to address one of the most urgent challenges of contemporary public health.
We thank the Presidents of the nine Scientific Societies that have joined the initiative with promptness and conviction, recognizing its urgency and strategic value: Prof. Vincenzo Patella, President of the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (SIAAIC); Prof. Lorenzo Richiardi, President of the Italian Association of Epidemiology (AIE); Prof. Francesco Murzilli, President of the Association of Italian Territorial and Hospital Allergists and Immunologists (AAIITO); Prof. Raffaele Scala, President of the Italian Association of Hospital Pulmonologists (AIPO); Prof. Gian Luigi Marseglia, President of the Italian Society of Paediatric Allergology and Immunology (SIAIP); Prof. Augusto Arsieni, President of the Italian Society of Aerobiology, Medicine and Environment (SIAMA); Prof. Maurizio Coggiola, President of the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine (SIML); Prof. Stefania La Grutta, President of the Italian Society for Childhood Respiratory Diseases (SIMRI); Prof. Paola Rogliani, President of the Italian Society of Pneumology (SIP).
The experts of the inter-society Task Force are: Manuela De Sario, Silvia Maritano (AIE); Paolo Borrelli, Gabriele Cortellini (AAIITO); Carlo Barbetta, Francesco Menzella (AIPO); Manlio Milanese, Giovanni Viegi (SIAAIC); Cristiana Indolfi, Giovanni Traina (SIAIP); Augusto Arsieni, Emma Tedeschini (SIAMA); Massimo Corradi, Nicola Murgia (SIML); Giuliana Ferrante, Raffaella Nenna (SIMRI); Laura Carrozzi, Sara Maio (SIP).
GV: Conceptualization, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing, Supervision. SM: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. AA: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. CB: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. PB: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. LC: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. MC: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. GC: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. MDS: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. GF: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. CI: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. SM: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. FM: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. MM: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. NM: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. RN: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. ET: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. GT: Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. VP: Supervision. All authors read and approved the submitted version.
Vincenzo Patella, who is the Editorial Board Member and Guest Editor of Exploration of Asthma & Allergy; Manlio Milanese, who is the Guest Editor of Exploration of Asthma & Allergy. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
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