Abstract:Objective To investigate the impacts of air quality on acute otitis media(AOM) and epiglottitis in the elderly in Zhangjiakou city. Methods The elderly patients with acute otitis media and epiglottis admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University in Zhangjiakou City from January 2018 to December 2018 were selected.Air quality index (AQI) and atmospheric pollutants AQI, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O₃) were collected in this area.Pearson method was used to analyze the number of patients with AOM and epiglottitis and its relationship with AQI.According to the AQI values, the collected data were divided into three grades (AQI≤100, 100200).The incidences of AOM and acute epiglottitis were compared among three grades. Results There were significant positive correlations between AOM patient visiting rate and the concentration of PM2.5, NO₂ and CO (P<0.05) and negative correlation with O₃ concentration (P<0.05).There were no significant correlations between the incidence of acute epiglottitis and the concentrations of PM2.5, SO₂, NO₂, CO and O₃ (all P>0.05).The incidence of AOM increased significantly with the increase of AQI value (P<0.05), but there was no obvious relationship between the incidence of acute epiglottitis and AQI value (P>0.05).The incidences of AOM increased significantly in 100200 group compared with that in AQI≤100 group(P<0.05)and increased statistically in AQI>200 group compared with that in 100P<0.05). Conclusion With the increase of PM2.5, NO₂, CO concentrations and AQI value in Zhangjiakou city, the visiting rate increases obviously in elderly patients with AOM, while it doesn′t increase the visiting rate of elderly patients with acute epiglottitis.