CALGARY- Appendicitis is a common and potentially life-threatening condition that affects about one in 15 Canadians, but so far doctors haven’t been sure about what causes it.
Now, a study from the University of Calgary says the cause could be connected to the air we breathe.
“We came to this conclusion by identifying over 35-thousand individuals who were hospitalized for appendicitis in 12 cities across Canada,” explains Dr. Gil Kaplan.
The study found on days with higher levels of ozone, a common air pollutant, there was a 20 per cent increased risk of developing appendicitis.
Kaplan says while the correlation is modest, it is still significant and more studies are needed.
“The next steps are trying to really better understand what are the biological explanations for this relationship,” he says. “We have to really get to the root of why something that we breathe into our lungs like air pollution would interact with your gut to cause a disease like appendicitis.”
Appendicitis only occurs in industrialized countries and researchers have long wondered if the answer could be found in the environment.
Historically, cases of appendicitis were highest in industrialized countries in the 19th century. Cases then decreased in the middle of the 20th century as air quality improved.
.
Comments