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Houweling L, Maitland-Van der Zee AH, Holtjer JCS, Bazdar S, Vermeulen RCH, Downward GS, Bloemsma LD. The effect of the urban exposome on COVID-19 health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 240:117351. [PMID: 37852458 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global severity of SARS-CoV-2 illness has been associated with various urban characteristics, including exposure to ambient air pollutants. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize findings from ecological and non-ecological studies to investigate the impact of multiple urban-related features on a variety of COVID-19 health outcomes. METHODS On December 5, 2022, PubMed was searched to identify all types of observational studies that examined one or more urban exposome characteristics in relation to various COVID-19 health outcomes such as infection severity, the need for hospitalization, ICU admission, COVID pneumonia, and mortality. RESULTS A total of 38 non-ecological and 241 ecological studies were included in this review. Non-ecological studies highlighted the significant effects of population density, urbanization, and exposure to ambient air pollutants, particularly PM2.5. The meta-analyses revealed that a 1 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with a higher likelihood of COVID-19 hospitalization (pooled OR 1.08 (95% CI:1.02-1.14)) and death (pooled OR 1.06 (95% CI:1.03-1.09)). Ecological studies, in addition to confirming the findings of non-ecological studies, also indicated that higher exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO), as well as lower ambient temperature, humidity, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and less green and blue space exposure, were associated with increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION This systematic review has identified several key vulnerability features related to urban areas in the context of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The findings underscore the importance of improving policies related to urban exposures and implementing measures to protect individuals from these harmful environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Houweling
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Anke-Hilse Maitland-Van der Zee
- Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judith C S Holtjer
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Somayeh Bazdar
- Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Roel C H Vermeulen
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - George S Downward
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lizan D Bloemsma
- Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Podury S, Kwon S, Javed U, Farooqi MS, Li Y, Liu M, Grunig G, Nolan A. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Particulate Matter Exposure: A Systematic Review. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:538. [PMID: 36836898 PMCID: PMC9962044 DOI: 10.3390/life13020538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Particulate matter (PM) exposure is responsible for seven million deaths annually and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of respiratory infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Understanding modifiable risk factors of high mortality, resource burdensome C19 and exposure risks such as PM is key to mitigating their devastating effects. This systematic review focuses on the literature available, identifying the spatial and temporal variation in the role of quantified PM exposure in SARS disease outcome and planning our future experimental studies. METHODS The systematic review utilized keywords adhered to the PRISMA guidelines. We included original human research studies in English. RESULTS Initial search yielded N = 906, application of eligibility criteria yielded N = 46. Upon analysis of risk of bias N = 41 demonstrated high risk. Studies found a positive association between elevated PM2.5, PM10 and SARS-related outcomes. A geographic and temporal variation in both PM and C19's role was observed. CONCLUSION C19 is a high mortality and resource intensive disease which devastated the globe. PM exposure is also a global health crisis. Our systematic review focuses on the intersection of this impactful disease-exposure dyad and understanding the role of PM is important in the development of interventions to prevent future spread of viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjiti Podury
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Sophia Kwon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Urooj Javed
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Muhammad S. Farooqi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Yiwei Li
- Department of Population Health, Division of Biostatistics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Mengling Liu
- Department of Population Health, Division of Biostatistics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.L.); (M.L.)
- Department of Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Gabriele Grunig
- Department of Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Anna Nolan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA; (S.P.); (S.K.); (U.J.); (M.S.F.)
- Department of Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYUGSoM), New York, NY 10016, USA;
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Shabani Isenaj Z, Berisha M, Ukëhaxhaj A, Moshammer H. Particulate Air Pollution and Primary Care Visits in Kosovo: A Time-Series Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16591. [PMID: 36554471 PMCID: PMC9779424 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of particulate air pollution (PM2.5) on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in Pristina, Kosovo, in a time-series analysis using daily primary healthcare visits to primary care institutions from 2019 to 2022. For the observation period, 6440 cardiovascular and 15,141 respiratory visits were reported, whereas the daily mean concentrations of PM2.5 ranged between 2.41 and 120.3 µg/m3. Single-lag models indicated a bi-phasic lag structure with increasing effect estimates some days after the air pollution event. In the distributed lag model with seven lags, the effect estimates for the cardiovascular cases indicated the adverse effect of air pollution. The cumulative effect estimate (summed over lag 0 to 6) for an increase of 10 µg/m3 of PM2.5 was a relative risk of 1.010 (95% confidence interval: 1.001-1.019). For respiratory cases, a different lag model (lag 4 through 10) was additionally examined. In this model, significant increases in visits were observed on lags 7 and 8. Overall, no relevant increase in visits occurred during the seven days considered. Visits to general practitioners will often not occur immediately at disease onset because patients will wait, hoping that their health status improves spontaneously. Therefore, we expected some latency in the effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zana Shabani Isenaj
- Medical Faculty, University of Hasan Prishtina, Rr. George Bush Nr. 31, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
- National Institute of Public Health, St. Mother Teresa pn, Rrethi i Spitalit, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
| | - Merita Berisha
- Medical Faculty, University of Hasan Prishtina, Rr. George Bush Nr. 31, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
- National Institute of Public Health, St. Mother Teresa pn, Rrethi i Spitalit, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
| | - Antigona Ukëhaxhaj
- National Institute of Public Health, St. Mother Teresa pn, Rrethi i Spitalit, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
- Master Programme, Medical Faculty, University Fehmi Agani, Rr. Ismail Qemali n.n., 50000 Gjakova, Kosovo
| | - Hanns Moshammer
- Department of Environmental Health, ZPH, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Hygiene, Medical University of Karakalpakstan, Nukus 230100, Uzbekistan
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Hernandez Carballo I, Bakola M, Stuckler D. The impact of air pollution on COVID-19 incidence, severity, and mortality: A systematic review of studies in Europe and North America. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114155. [PMID: 36030916 PMCID: PMC9420033 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Air pollution is speculated to increase the risks of COVID-19 spread, severity, and mortality. OBJECTIVES We systematically reviewed studies investigating the relationship between air pollution and COVID-19 cases, non-fatal severity, and mortality in North America and Europe. METHODS We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for studies investigating the effects of harmful pollutants, including particulate matter with diameter ≤2.5 or 10 μm (PM2.5 or PM10), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), on COVID-19 cases, severity, and deaths in Europe and North America through to June 19, 2021. Articles were included if they quantitatively measured the relationship between exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 health outcomes. RESULTS From 2,482 articles screened, we included 116 studies reporting 355 separate pollutant-COVID-19 estimates. Approximately half of all evaluations on incidence were positive and significant associations (52.7%); for mortality the corresponding figure was similar (48.1%), while for non-fatal severity this figure was lower (41.2%). Longer-term exposure to pollutants appeared more likely to be positively associated with COVID-19 incidence (63.8%). PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, and CO were most strongly positively associated with COVID-19 incidence, while PM2.5 and NO2 with COVID-19 deaths. All studies were observational and most exhibited high risk of confounding and outcome measurement bias. DISCUSSION Air pollution may be associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. Future research is needed to better test the air pollution-COVID-19 hypothesis, particularly using more robust study designs and COVID-19 measures that are less prone to measurement error and by considering co-pollutant interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ireri Hernandez Carballo
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Lombardy, Italy; RFF-CMCC European Institute of Economics and the Environment, Centro Euro-Mediterraneo Sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Milan, Lombardy, Italy.
| | - Maria Bakola
- Research Unit for General Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Science, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - David Stuckler
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Lombardy, Italy; DONDENA Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
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Di Ciaula A, Moshammer H, Lauriola P, Portincasa P. Environmental health, COVID-19, and the syndemic: internal medicine facing the challenge. Intern Emerg Med 2022; 17:2187-2198. [PMID: 36181580 PMCID: PMC9525944 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-022-03107-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Internists are experts in complexity, and the COVID-19 pandemic is disclosing complex and unexpected interactions between communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental factors, and socio-economic disparities. The medicine of complexity cannot be limited to facing comorbidities and to the clinical management of multifaceted diseases. Evidence indicates how climate change, pollution, demographic unbalance, and inequalities can affect the spreading and outcomes of COVID-19 in vulnerable communities. These elements cannot be neglected, and a wide view of public health aspects by a "one-health" approach is strongly and urgently recommended. According to World Health Organization, 35% of infectious diseases involving the lower respiratory tract depend on environmental factors, and infections from SARS-Cov-2 is not an exception. Furthermore, environmental pollution generates a large burden of non-communicable diseases and disabilities, increasing the individual vulnerability to COVID-19 and the chance for the resilience of large communities worldwide. In this field, the awareness of internists must increase, as privileged healthcare providers. They need to gain a comprehensive knowledge of elements characterizing COVID-19 as part of a syndemic. This is the case when pandemic events hit vulnerable populations suffering from the increasing burden of chronic diseases, disabilities, and social and economic inequalities. Mastering the interplay of such events requires a change in overall strategy, to adequately manage not only the SARS-CoV-2 infection but also the growing burden of non-communicable diseases by a "one health" approach. In this context, experts in internal medicine have the knowledge and skills to drive this change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostino Di Ciaula
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
- International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hanns Moshammer
- International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE), Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Hygiene, Medical University of Karakalpakstan, Nukus, Uzbekistan 230100
| | - Paolo Lauriola
- International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Piero Portincasa
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
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COVID-19: Regional Differences in Austria. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031644. [PMID: 35162665 PMCID: PMC8835493 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In the turbulent year 2020, overshadowed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, Austria experienced multiple waves of increased case incidence. While governmental measures to curb the numbers were based on current knowledge of infection risk factors, a retrospective analysis of incidence and lethality at the district level revealed correlations of relative infection risk with socioeconomic, geographical, and behavioral population parameters. We identified unexpected correlations between political orientation and smoking behavior and COVID-19 infection risk and/or mortality. For example, a decrease in daily smokers by 2.3 percentage points would be associated with an increase in cumulative incidence by 10% in the adjusted model, and an increase in voters of the right-wing populist party by 1.6 percentage points with an increase in cumulative mortality by 10%. While these parameters are apparently only single elements of complex causal chains that finally lead to individual susceptibility and vulnerability levels, our findings might have identified ecological parameters that can be utilized to develop fine-tuned communications and measures in upcoming challenges of this and other pandemics.
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