Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):98-104 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8806

Association between air pollution and paediatric intestinal intussusception in Seoul, Korea: a time-series regression approach

Kiook Baek^{1, 2}

¹ Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dongguk University Gyeongju, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea

² Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dongguk University Gyeongju Hospital, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea

Objectives: The impact of air pollution on gastrointestinal diseases remains unclear. This study examines the association between air pollutants and paediatric intussusception incidence.

Methods: Using data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), we analysed daily intussusception cases in Seoul (2009-2019). Air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM₁₀), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and sulphur dioxide (SO₂), were assessed alongside temperature. A generalized linear model with a negative binomial link function evaluated the relationship between each pollutant and intussusception incidence, adjusting for long-term trends and seasonality. A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) examined non-linear cumulative lag effects.

Results: In the model without lag and non-linear effects, NO₂ was significantly associated with intussusception incidence, while other pollutants and temperature showed no significant associations. DLNM analysis with a 3-day cumulative lag demonstrated a gradual increase in intussusception incidence with rising NO₂ levels, with significant rate ratio changes at lag 0 and lag 1 but not at lag 2 or lag 3. Extending the cumulative lag to 2, 4 and 5 days showed progressively decreasing significant intervals.

Conclusion: These findings suggest a potential link between NO₂ exposure and paediatric intussusception. Further studies are needed to clarify underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: intestinal intussusception, air pollutant, child, time-series

Received: September 30, 2025; Revised: May 18, 2026; Accepted: May 18, 2026; Published: June 30, 2026  Show citation