Long-term Air Pollution Exposure and Pneumonia-related Mortality in a Large Pooled European Cohort

Association of residential greenness with incident pneumonia: A prospective cohort study

Residential greenness is considered beneficial to human health, and its association with respiratory function has been found in previous studies. However, its link with pneumonia remains unclear. To explore the association of residential greenness with incident pneumonia, we conducted a prospective cohort study based on participants of the UK Biobank, followed from 2006 to 2010 to the end of 2019. Residential greenness was measured by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within 500 m and 1000 m buffer. Cox proportional hazard models were conducted to assess the association, and restricted cubic spline models were also constructed to estimate their exposure-response relationship. Results demonstrate that residential greenness was negatively related to the risk of incident pneumonia. An interquartile (IQR) increase in NDVI 500-m buffer was associated with 4 % [HR (95 % CI) =0.96 (0.94, 0.97), P < 0.001] lower risk of incident pneumonia. Compared to the lowest greenness quartile (Q1), the highest quartile (Q4) had a lower risk of incident pneumonia, with the HR (95 % CI) estimated to be 0.91 (0.87, 0.95) (P values <0.001). Analyses based on NDVI 1000-m buffer obtained similar results. Furthermore, a significant effect of modifications by age and income on the linkage between residential greenness and incident pneumonia was found. These findings propose a potential effective prevention of incident pneumonia and provide the scientific basis for promoting the construction of residential greenness.

Global associations between long-term exposure to PM2.5 constituents and health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Existing studies on the most impactful component remain controversial, hindering the optimization of future air quality standards that concerns particle composition. We aimed to summarize the health risk associated with PM2.5 components and identify those components with the greatest health risk. We performed a meta-analysis to quantify the combined health effects of PM2.5 components, and used the meta-smoothing to produce the pooled concentration-response (C-R) curves. Out of 8954 initial articles, 80 cohort studies met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 198.08 million population. The pooled C-R curves demonstrated approximately J-shaped association between total mortality and exposure to BC, and NO3-, but U-shaped and inverted U-shaped relationship withSO42- and OC, respectively. In addition, this study found that exposure to various elements, including BC,SO42-NO3-, NH4+, Zn, Ni, and Si, were significantly associated with an increased risk of total mortality, with Ni presenting the largest estimate. And exposure to NO3-, Zn, and Si was positively associated with an increased risk of respiratory mortality, while exposure to BC, SO42-, and NO3- showed a positive association with risk of cardiovascular mortality. For health outcome of morbidity, BC was notably associated with a higher incidence of asthma, type 2 diabetes and stroke. Subgroup analysis revealed a higher susceptibility to PM2.5 components in Asia compared to Europe and North America, and females showed a higher vulnerability. Given the significant health effects of PM2.5 components, governments are advised to introduce them in regional monitoring and air quality control guidelines. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: PM2.5 is a complex mixture of chemical components from various sources, and each component has unique physicochemical properties and uncertain toxicity, posing significant threat to public health. This study systematically reviewed cohort studies on the association between long-term exposure to 13 PM2.5 components and the risk of morbidity and mortality. And we applied the meta-smoothing approach to establish the pooled concentration-response associations between PM2.5 components and mortality globally. Our findings will provide strong support for PM2.5 components monitoring and the improvement of air quality-related regulations. This will aid in helping to enhance health intervention strategies and mitigating public exposure to detrimental particulate matter.

Burden and trends of infectious disease mortality attributed to air pollution, unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene, and non-optimal temperature globally and in different socio-demographic index regions

BACKGROUND

Environmental factors greatly impact infectious disease-related mortality, yet there's a lack of comprehensive global studies on the contemporary burden and trends. This study aims to evaluate the global burden and trends of infectious disease mortality caused by air pollution, unsafe water, poor sanitation, and non-optimal temperature across Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) regions from 1990 to 2019.

METHODS

This observational study utilized data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study to examine mortality rates from infectious diseases attributed to environmental risk factors between 1990 and 2019, including air pollution, unsafe water, sanitation, handwashing facilities (UWSH), and non-optimal temperatures. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) were utilized to present infectious disease mortality, and its trajectory influenced by environmental risk factors over the years. Nonlinear regression was conducted to explore the association between the SDI and ASMRs across regions from 1990 to 2019.

RESULTS

In 2019, global infectious disease deaths linked to air pollution, UWSH, and non-optimal temperature reached a startling 2,556,992. Disease mortality varied widely across SDI regions, with the highest number of deaths due to air pollution and UWSH in Low SDI regions, and deaths from non-optimal temperature primarily in High SDI regions. Age disparities emerged, with children under five and the elderly most affected. However, an increasing mortality trend was observed among seniors (65-69, 75-79, and over 80) in High SDI regions due to enteric infections linked to UWSH. Globally, a consistent decrease in ASMR was seen from 1990 to 2019 for all diseases connected to these factors, except for respiratory infections linked to non-optimal temperature.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study underscores the significant impact of air pollution, UWSH, and non-optimal temperatures on global infectious disease mortality, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. It's important to tackle these challenges with targeted interventions aiming to enhance environmental quality, improve water and sanitation systems, and control extreme temperatures. In addition, international cooperation is essential for bridging regional disparities and driving global public health initiatives forward, thereby helping achieve Sustainable Development Goals more effectively.

Excess deaths and loss of life expectancy attributed to long-term NO2 exposure in the Chinese elderly

BACKGROUND

Evidence linking nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution to life span of high-vulnerability older adults is extensively scarce in low- and middle-income countries. This study seeks to quantify mortality risk, excess deaths, and loss of life expectancy (LLE) associated with long-term exposure to NO2 among elderly individuals in China.

METHODS

A nationwide dynamic cohort of 20352 respondents ≥65 years old were enrolled from the China Longitudinal Health and Longevity Survey during 2005-2018. Residential exposures to NO2 and co-pollutants were assessed by well-validated spatiotemporal prediction models. A Cox regression model with time-dependent covariates was utilized to quantify the association of all-cause mortality with NO2 exposure, controlling for confounders such as demographics, lifestyle, health status, and ambient temperature. NO2-attributable deaths and LLE were evaluated for the years 2010 and 2020 based on the pooled NO2-mortality relation derived from multi-national cohort investigations. Decomposition analyses were conducted to dissociate net shift in NO2-related deaths between 2010 and 2020 into four primary contributing factors.

RESULTS

A total of 14313 deaths were recorded during follow-up of approximately 100 hundred person-years (median 3.6 years). We observed an approximately linear relationship (nonlinear P = 0.882) of NO2 exposure with all-cause death across a broad range from 6.6 to 95.7 μg/m3. Every 10-μg/m3 rise in yearly average NO2 concentration was linked to a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.045 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.031-1.059). In the updated meta-analysis of this study and 9 existing cohorts, we estimated a pooled HR of 1.043 (95% CI: 1.023-1.063) for each 10-μg/m3 growth in NO2. Reaching a 10 -μg/m3 counterfactual target of NO2 concentration in China could avoid 0.33 (95% empirical CI: 0.19-0.49) million premature deaths and an LLE of 0.40 (95% empirical CI: 0.23-0.59) years in 2010, which greatly dropped to 0.24 (95% empirical CI: 0.14-0.36) million deaths and 0.21 (95% empirical CI: 0.12-0.31) years of LLE in 2020. The net fall in NO2-attributable deaths (-26.8%) between 2010 and 2020 was primarily driven by the declines in both NO2 concentration (-41.6%) and mortality rate (-27.1%) under population growth (+41.0%) and age structure transition (+0.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide national evidence for increased risk of premature death and loss of life expectancy attributed to later-life NO2 exposure among the elderly in China. In an accelerated aging society, strengthened clean air actions should be formulated to minimize the health burden and regional inequality in NO2-attributable mortality.

Biocultural and social determinants of ill health and early mortality in a New Mexican paediatric autopsy sample

RESULTS.

Hispanic children have higher odds of growth stunting than non-Hispanic White children. Native American children die younger and have higher odds of respiratory diseases and porous lesions than Hispanic and non-Hispanic Whites. Rural/urban location does not significantly impact age at death, but housing type does. Individuals who lived in trailers/mobile homes had earlier ages at death. When intersections between housing type and housing location are considered, children who were poor and from impoverished areas lived longer than those who were poor from relatively well-off areas.

CONCLUSIONS.

Children's health is shaped by factors outside their control. The children included in this study embodied experiences of social and ELS and did not survive to adulthood. They provide the most sobering example of the harm that social factors (structural racism/discrimination, socioeconomic, and political structures) can inflict.

Association between short-term air pollution exposure and perturbation in thyrotropin levels in 1.38 million Chinese women: A national longitudinal analysis, 2014-2019

Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism substantially increased during the last decade in China, which has been commonly/clinically diagnosed as elevation in thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]). Tobacco smoke containing toxic substances has been linked to thyroid dysfunction; however, data on perturbation of TSH following air pollution exposure in human has not been assessed at nationwide population level. We investigated the longitudinal impact of daily ambient air pollution estimated at residential level on serum TSH in 1.38 million women from China's 29 mainland provinces between 2014 and 2019. We observed that particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 and ≤ 2.5 µm (PM10, PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at cumulative lag 0-7 days of exposure were associated with percent elevations in TSH (0.88% [95% CI: 0.71, 1.05] per [interquartile range, IQR: 54.8 μg/m3] of PM10; 0.89% [95% CI, 0.71, 1.07] per IQR [40.3 μg/m3] of PM2.5; 2.01% [95% CI: 1.81, 2.22] per IQR [27.4 μg/m3] of NO2). Greater associations were observed in participants living in areas with ≥adequate iodine intake and those with low BMI levels and high inflammation status. Our results suggest that increased concentrations of recent ambient air pollutants at exposure ranges commonly encountered in Asia were associated with increases in TSH, supporting disturbing role of short-term air pollution exposure on the regulation of thyroid hormone homeostasis.

Air pollution and human health: a phenome-wide association study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the associations of long-term exposure to air pollution with onset of all human health conditions.

DESIGN

Prospective phenome-wide association study.

SETTING

Denmark.

PARTICIPANTS

All Danish residents aged ≥30 years on 1 January 2000 were included (N=3 323 612). After exclusion of individuals with missing geocoded residential addresses, 3 111 988 participants were available for the statistical analyses.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

First registered diagnosis of every health condition according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, from 2000 to 2017.

RESULTS

Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were both positively associated with the onset of more than 700 health conditions (ie, >80% of the registered health conditions) after correction for multiple testing, while the remaining associations were inverse or insignificant. As regards the most common health conditions, PM2.5 and NO2 were strongest positively associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PM2.5: HR 1.06 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.07) per 1 IQR increase in exposure level; NO2: 1.14 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.15)), type 2 diabetes (PM2.5: 1.06 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.06); NO2: 1.12 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.13)) and ischaemic heart disease (PM2.5: 1.05 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.05); NO2: 1.11 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.12)). Furthermore, PM2.5 and NO2 were both positively associated with so far unexplored, but highly prevalent outcomes relevant to public health, including senile cataract, hearing loss and urinary tract infection.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study suggest that air pollution has a more extensive impact on human health than previously known. However, as this study is the first of its kind to investigate the associations of long-term exposure to air pollution with onset of all human health conditions, further research is needed to replicate the study findings.

Smoking Exposure and the Risk of Latent Tuberculosis Infection: Results from NHANES 2011-2012

The association between smoking exposure and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has been investigated in a few studies; however, further investigation is needed. In this study, the 2011-2012 NHANES population was used to evaluate smoking exposure and LTBI risk. A total of 7042 participants with available LTBI results and without active tuberculosis were included for analysis. Smoking was defined as participants who smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their life. Both univariable and multivariable analysis were adopted to evaluate smoking exposure, as well as related factors on the risk of LTBI. LTBI rates among current smokers (12.1%) and former smokers (9.9%) were higher than non-smokers (5.9%). However, current smokers and former smokers were not significantly associated with LTBI risk when compared to non-smokers after adjusting by age and sex in the multivariable analysis. Meanwhile, we found that passive smoking was not associated with LTBI (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 0.85; 95%CI, 0.66-1.09). In multivariable analysis, current smoking was associated with LTBI (OR, 1.67; 95%CI, 1.28-2.19), while former smokers had an increased OR of LTBI, but the OR did not reach statistical significance (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 0.90-1.48). Household tuberculosis (TB) contact was also related to LTBI (OR, 1.93; 95%CI, 1.25-2.99). However, BMI and diabetes were not found to be associated with LTBI. Smoking, especially current smoking, was significantly associated with LTBI. LTBI screening should be recommended for active smokers. Former smoking and passive smoking exposure were not found to have a significant relationship with LTBI risk. However, the high LTBI rate among quitters indicated we should pay more attention to former smokers with LTBI.

Exposure to air pollution and risk of respiratory tract infections in the adult Danish population-a nationwide study

OBJECTIVES

The association between air pollution and risk of respiratory tract infection (RTI) in adults needs to be clarified in settings with low to moderate levels of air pollution. We investigated this in the Danish population between 2004 and 2016.

METHODS

We included 3 653 490 persons aged 18-64 years in a nested case-control study. Exposure was defined as the average daily concentration at the individual's residential address of CO, NOX, NO2, O3, SO2, NH3, PPM2.5, black carbon, organic carbon, mineral dust, sea salt, secondary inorganic aerosols, SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, secondary organic aerosols, PM2.5, and PM10 during a 3-month exposure window. RTIs were defined by hospitalization for RTIs. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% CIs were estimated comparing highest with lowest decile of exposure using conditional logistic regression models.

RESULTS

In total, 188 439 incident cases of RTI were identified. Exposure to most air pollutants was positively associated with risk of RTI. For example, NO2 showed an IRR of 1.52 (CI: 1.48-1.55), and PM2.5 showed an IRR of 1.45 (CI: 1.40-1.50). In contrast, exposure to sea salt, PM10, NH3, and O3 was negatively associated with a risk of RTIs.

DISCUSSION

In this nationwide study comprising adults, exposure to air pollution was associated with risk of RTIs and subgroups hereof. Sea salt, PM10, NH3, and O3 may be proxies for rural areas, as the levels of these species in Denmark are higher near the western coastlines and/or in rural areas with fewer combustion sources.

Causal association between air pollution and frailty: a Mendelian randomization study

Backgrounds

Frailty is a significant problem for older persons since it is linked to a number of unfavorable consequences. According to observational researches, air pollution may raise the risk of frailty. We investigated the causal association between frailty and air pollution (including PM2.5, PM2.5-10, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, and nitrogen oxides) using Mendelian randomization approach.

Methods

We conducted MR analysis using extensive publically accessible GWAS (genome-wide association studies) summary data. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was employed as the primary analysis method. The weighted median model, MR-Egger, simple model, and weighted model approaches were chosen for quality control. The Cochran's Q test was utilized to evaluate heterogeneity. Pleiotropy is found using the MR-Egger regression test. The MR-PRESSO method was used to recognize outliers. The leave-one-out strategy was used to conduct the sensitivity analysis.

Results

MR results suggested that PM2.5 was statistically significantly associated with frailty [odds ratio (OR) = 1.33; 95%confidence interval (CI) = 1.12-1.58, p = 0.001] in IVW method. We observed no statistical association between PM2.5-10(OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.79-1.28, p = 0.979), PM10(OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.75-1.11, p = 0.364), nitrogen dioxide (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.85-1.12, p = 0.730), nitrogen oxides (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.98-1.36, p = 0.086) and frailty. There was no pleiotropy in the results. The sensitivity analysis based on the leave-one-out method showed that the individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) did not affect the robustness of the results.

Conclusion

The current MR investigation shows a causal association between PM2.5 and frailty. Frailty's detrimental progression may be slowed down with the help of air pollution prevention and control.

Air pollution, alcohol consumption, and the risk of elevated liver enzyme levels: a cross-sectional study in the UK Biobank

Evidences on the association between exposure to air pollution and liver enzymes was scarce in low pollution area. We aimed to investigate the association between air pollution and liver enzyme levels and further explore whether alcohol intake influence this association. This cross-sectional study included 425,773 participants aged 37 to 73 years from the UK Biobank. Land Use Regression was applied to assess levels of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and NOx. Levels of liver enzymes including AST, ALT, GGT, and ALP were determined by enzymatic rate method. Long-term low-level exposure to PM2.5 (per 5-μg/m3 increase) was significantly associated with AST (0.596% increase, 95% CI, 0.414 to 0.778%), ALT (0.311% increase, 0.031 to 0.593%), and GGT (1.552% increase, 1.172 to 1.933%); The results were similar for PM10; NOX and NO2 were only significantly correlated with AST and GGT Significant modification effects by alcohol consumption were found (P-interaction < 0.05). The effects of pollutants on AST, ALT, and GGT levels gradually increased along with the weekly alcohol drinking frequency. In conclusion, long-term low-level air pollutants exposure was associated with elevated liver enzyme levels. And alcohol intake may exacerbate the effect of air pollution on liver enzymes.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 hospitalisation or death: Danish nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Early ecological studies have suggested links between air pollution and risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but evidence from individual-level cohort studies is still sparse. We examined whether long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with risk of COVID-19 and who is most susceptible.

METHODS

We followed 3 721 810 Danish residents aged ≥30 years on 1 March 2020 in the National COVID-19 Surveillance System until the date of first positive test (incidence), COVID-19 hospitalisation or death until 26 April 2021. We estimated residential annual mean particulate matter with diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black carbon (BC) and ozone (O3) in 2019 by the Danish DEHM/UBM model, and used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate the associations of air pollutants with COVID-19 outcomes, adjusting for age, sex, individual- and area-level socioeconomic status, and population density.

RESULTS

138 742 individuals were infected, 11 270 were hospitalised and 2557 died from COVID-19 during 14 months. We detected associations of PM2.5 (per 0.53 μg·m-3) and NO2 (per 3.59 μg·m-3) with COVID-19 incidence (hazard ratio (HR) 1.10 (95% CI 1.05-1.14) and HR 1.18 (95% CI 1.14-1.23), respectively), hospitalisations (HR 1.09 (95% CI 1.01-1.17) and HR 1.19 (95% CI 1.12-1.27), respectively) and death (HR 1.23 (95% CI 1.04-1.44) and HR 1.18 (95% CI 1.03-1.34), respectively), which were strongest in the lowest socioeconomic groups and among patients with chronic respiratory, cardiometabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. We found positive associations with BC and negative associations with O3.

CONCLUSION

Long-term exposure to air pollution may contribute to increased risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection as well as developing severe COVID-19 disease requiring hospitalisation or resulting in death.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and severe COVID-19 in Catalonia: a population-based cohort study

The association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and severe COVID-19 is uncertain. We followed 4,660,502 adults from the general population in 2020 in Catalonia, Spain. Cox proportional models were fit to evaluate the association between annual averages of PM_2.5, NO₂, BC, and O₃ at each participant's residential address and severe COVID-19. Higher exposure to PM_2.5, NO_2, and BC was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission, death, and hospital length of stay. An increase of 3.2 µg/m³ of PM_2.5 was associated with a 19% (95% CI, 16-21) increase in hospitalizations. An increase of 16.1 µg/m³ of NO₂ was associated with a 42% (95% CI, 30-55) increase in ICU admissions. An increase of 0.7 µg/m³ of BC was associated with a 6% (95% CI, 0-13) increase in deaths. O₃ was positively associated with severe outcomes when adjusted by NO₂. Our study contributes robust evidence that long-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with severe COVID-19.

Global, regional, and national burden of ambient and household PM2.5-related neonatal disorders, 1990-2019

Previous studies have shown a relationship between fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) exposure and an increased risk of neonatal disorders. Considering the huge burden of neonatal disorders, we assessed spatiotemporal trends of neonatal disorders burden caused by ambient and household PM_2.5 at the global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2019. The number, rate, and population attributable fraction (PAF) of ambient and household PM_2.5-related neonatal disorders disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 to measure the related neonatal disorders burden by age, sex, subtype, and region. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was estimated to quantify temporal trends. In 2019, approximately a fifth of the global neonatal disorders burden was attributable to PM_2.5 exposure, with 7.54% for ambient PM_2.5 and 13.23% for household PM_2.5. Although the global neonatal disorders burden attributable to household PM_2.5 has decreased substantially in the past 30 years, that attributable to ambient PM_2.5 has increased, especially in lower sociodemographic index (SDI) regions. The highest rate and PAF of ambient PM_2.5-related neonatal disorders DALYs in 2019 were in South Asia and East Asia, respectively, and the fastest increases were in Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa (for rate: EAPC = 2.55, 95% CI: 2.37-2.73) and South Asia (for PAF: EAPC = 3.88, 95% CI: 3.68-4.08). In addition, we found an inverted V-shaped between rates and PAFs of ambient PM_2.5-related neonatal disorders DALYs in 2019, as well as corresponding EAPCs, and SDI, while rates and PAFs of household PM_2.5-related neonatal disorders DALYs in 2019 were highly negatively correlated with SDI. In the past three decades, the global ambient PM_2.5-related neonatal disorders burden largely increased, especially in lower SDI regions. Comparatively, the household PM_2.5-related neonatal disorders burden decreased but still accounted for about two-thirds of the PM_2.5-related neonatal disease burden.

Genetic susceptibility and lifestyle modify the association of long-term air pollution exposure on major depressive disorder: a prospective study in UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Evidence linking air pollution to major depressive disorder (MDD) remains sparse and results are heterogeneous. In addition, the evidence about the interaction and joint associations of genetic risk and lifestyle with air pollution on incident MDD risk remains unclear. We aimed to examine the association of various air pollutants with the risk of incident MDD and assessed whether genetic susceptibility and lifestyle influence the associations.

METHODS

This population-based prospective cohort study analyzed data collected between March 2006 and October 2010 from 354,897 participants aged 37 to 73 years from the UK Biobank. Annual average concentrations of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, and NO_x were estimated using a Land Use Regression model. A lifestyle score was determined based on a combination of smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, television viewing time, sleep duration, and diet. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was defined using 17 MDD-associated genetic loci.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 9.7 years (3,427,084 person-years), 14,710 incident MDD events were ascertained. PM_2.5 (HR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07-1.26; per 5 μg/m³) and NO_x (HR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05; per 20 μg/m³) were associated with increased risk of MDD. There was a significant interaction between the genetic susceptibility and air pollution for MDD (P-interaction < 0.05). Compared with participants with low genetic risk and low air pollution, those with high genetic risk and high PM_2.5 exposure had the highest risk of incident MDD (PM_2.5: HR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.23-1.46). We also observed an interaction between PM_2.5 exposure and unhealthy lifestyle (P-interaction < 0.05). Participants with the least healthy lifestyle and high air pollution exposures had the highest MDD risk when compared to those with the most healthy lifestyle and low air pollution (PM_2.5: HR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.92-2.58; PM₁₀: HR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.78-2.45; NO₂: HR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.82-2.46; NO_x: HR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.97-2.64).

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with MDD risk. Identifying individuals with high genetic risk and developing healthy lifestyle for reducing the harm of air pollution to public mental health.

Long-term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollutants and Increased Risk of Pneumonia in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Short-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to pneumonia risk. However, evidence on the long-term effects of air pollution on pneumonia morbidity is scarce and inconsistent. We investigated the associations of long-term air pollutants exposure with pneumonia and explored the potential interactions with smoking.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Is long-term exposure to ambient air pollution associated with the risk of pneumonia, and does smoking modify the associations?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed data in 445,473 participants without pneumonia within 1 year before baseline from the UK Biobank. Annual average concentrations of particulate matter (particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 μm [PM_2.5] and particulate matter with a diameter < 10 μm [PM₁₀]), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) were estimated using land-use regression models. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the associations between air pollutants and pneumonia incidence. Potential interactions between air pollution and smoking were examined on both additive and multiplicative scales.

RESULTS

The hazard ratios of pneumonia for each interquartile range increase in PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, and NO_x concentrations were 1.06 (95% CI, 1.04-1.08), 1.10 (95% CI, 1.08-1.12), 1.12 (95% CI, 1.10-1.15), and 1.06 (95% CI, 1.04-1.07), respectively. There were significant additive and multiplicative interactions between air pollution and smoking. Compared with never smokers with low air pollution exposure, ever smokers with high air pollution exposure had the highest pneumonia risk (PM_2.5: HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.67-1.90; PM₁₀: HR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.82-2.06; NO₂: HR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.93-2.21; NO_x: HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.76-2.00). The associations between air pollutants and pneumonia risk persisted in participants exposed to air pollutants concentrations meeting the European Union limits.

INTERPRETATION

Long-term exposure to air pollutants was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia, especially in smokers.

Attributable risk and economic burden of pneumonia among older adults admitted to hospital due to short-term exposure to airborne particulate matter: a time-stratified case-crossover study from China

Many studies have proven the relationship between air pollutants and respiratory diseases, but few studies have assessed the impacts of air particulate matter exposure on older patients with pneumonia. This study aimed to reveal the impacts of short-term exposure to air particulate matter on the daily number of older adult patients hospitalized due to pneumonia and calculate the economic costs attributable to this exposure. We collected inpatient data from 9 city hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019, and calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals using a time-stratified case-crossover study design and an attributable risk model to calculate the economic burden due to particulate matter pollution. It was found that for every 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations, the daily number of older adult pneumonia inpatients increased by 1.5% (95% CI: 1.010-1.021) and 1.0% (95% CI: 1.006-1.014), respectively. Those 65 ~ 79 years old were more susceptible to air particulate pollutants (P < 0.05). During the study period, the total hospitalization costs and out-of-pocket expenses attributable to PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ exposure were 44.60 million CNY (6.22%) and 16.03 million CNY (6.21%), respectively, with PM_2.5 being the primary influencing factor. This study revealed the relationship between particulate matter pollution and pneumonia among older adults. The role of policies to limit particulate matter concentrations in reducing disease burden among older adults can be further explored.

Lung function decline associated with individual short-term exposure to PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis

BACKGROUND

The susceptibility of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) patients to air pollution has yet to be clarified.

OBJECTIVES

Based on a repeated measurement panel study, we explored the association of short-term PM exposure with lung function in ARC patients and to further identify the susceptible populations.

METHODS

Personal PM exposure, including PM₁, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, was monitored consecutively for three days before outcomes measurements. Lung function indices including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and forced expiratory flow at 25-75 % of the vital capacity (FEF_25-75) were measured. Serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), specific-allergen IgE, blood eosinophil and basophils, and the symptoms severe scores were tested in each visit. Linear mixed effect models were applied to estimate the association between PM exposure and lung function. Furthermore, stratified and overlapping grouped populations based on IgE levels were implemented to characterize the modification role and the modulating threshold of IgE at which the association turned significantly negative.

RESULTS

Short-term PM personal exposure was associated with a significant decrease in lung function in ARC patients, especially for small airway respiratory indexes. The highest estimates occurred in PM₁, specifically a 10 μg/m³ increase reduced FEV₁/FVC, PEF and FEF_25-75 by 1.36 % (95 %CI: -2.29 to -0.43), 0.23 L/s (95 %CI: -0.42 to -0.03) and 0.18 L/s (95 %CI: -0.30 to -0.06), respectively. Notably, PM-induced decreases in lung function were stronger in patients with higher IgE levels (IgE ≥ 100 IU/mL), which were related to higher inflammatory cytokines and symptoms scores. Further, PM-associated lung function declines enhanced robustly and monotonically with increasing IgE concentration. Potential modulating thresholds of IgE occurred at 46.8-59.6 IU/mL for significant PM-lung function associations.

CONCLUSION

These novel findings estimated the short-term effects of PM on lung function in ARC patients, and the threshold values of IgE for the significant and robust associations.

Projecting future health burden associated with exposure to ambient PM2.5 and ozone in China under different climate scenarios

Projecting future air pollution and related health burdens remains challenging because of the complex interactions among future emissions, population, and climate change. In this study, we estimated the premature deaths attributed to ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and ozone (O₃) from 2015 to 2100 under four socioeconomic climate scenarios based on an age-stratified assessment method. We found that PM_2.5 will decrease in all shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios and O₃ will decrease in the SSP1-2.6 and SSP2-4.5 scenarios, contributing to a decrease in premature mortality together with the declining total population in China. However, the benefits of a decline in population size and PM_2.5 and O₃ concentrations over time will be largely offset by population aging, and premature death caused by PM_2.5 and O₃ will continue to rise till 2060-2080. This impact was greater for the O₃-related deaths than those for PM_2.5. Our study highlights the importance of future prevention strategies that must jointly improve air quality and susceptibility to aging.