Interaction effects of night-time temperature and PM2.5 on preterm birth in Huai River Basin, China

Huanhuan Zhang; Xiaoan Zhang; Demin Feng; Zhan Gao; Yuting Gong; Junxi Zhang; Shuaixing Song; Zengli Yu; Cunrui Huang

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2023.107729

Interaction effects of night-time temperature and PM_2.5 on preterm birth in Huai River Basin, China

Environ Int. 2023 Jan:171:107729. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107729. Epub 2023 Jan 2.

Authors

Huanhuan Zhang¹, Xiaoan Zhang², Demin Feng², Zhan Gao³, Yuting Gong⁴, Junxi Zhang⁵, Shuaixing Song⁴, Zengli Yu⁶, Cunrui Huang⁷

Affiliations

¹ The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
² The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China.
³ The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
⁴ School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
⁵ NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention & Henan Key Laboratory of Population Defects Prevention, Zhengzhou, China.
⁶ The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention & Henan Key Laboratory of Population Defects Prevention, Zhengzhou, China. Electronic address: zly@zzu.edu.cn.
⁷ Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

PMID: 36623379
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107729

Abstract

Nocturnal temperature is observed increasing with global warming. However, evidence on night-time non-optimal temperature on the risk of preterm birth (PTB) is limited, and the potential interactions with air pollution on PTB has not been well clarified. We therefore conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study to evaluate the effect of night-time temperature extremes on the risk of PTB and its interaction with air pollution. Records of 196,780 singleton births from 4 counties in Huai River Basin (2013-2018) were obtained. Gridded data on night-time temperature were collected from a high-quality Chinese Air Quality Reanalysis dataset. We used a multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the effects of night-time heat and cold exposure on the risk of PTB as well as its subtypes. Potential interactions between night-time temperature extremes and fine particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM_2.5) were examined using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). We found that the risk of PTB was positively associated with third trimester night-time extremely heat and cold exposure, with adjusted OR of 1.898 (95 %CI: 1.655-2.177) and 2.044 (95 %CI: 1.786-2.339). Similar effects were observed for PTB subtypes, moderately PTB (mPTB) and very PTB (vPTB). Synergistic effects (RERI greater than 0) of each trimester night-time temperature extremes exposure and PM_2.5 on PTB were observed. We identified consistent positive interactions between night-time temperature extremes and PM_2.5 on mPTB. No significant interaction of night-time temperature extremes and PM_2.5 on vPTB was found. In conclusion, this large retrospective cohort study found that third trimester night-time heat and cold exposure significantly increased the risk of PTB and its subtypes. There is a synergistic effect between night-time temperature extremes and high PM_2.5 levels on PTB and mPTB. In the context of climate warming, our results add new evidence to the current understanding of night-time non-optimal temperature exposure on PTB.

Keywords: Combined effect; Fine particulate matter; Preterm birth; Temperature extremes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / adverse effects
Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / adverse effects
Air Pollution* / analysis
China / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Maternal Exposure / adverse effects
Particulate Matter / adverse effects
Particulate Matter / analysis
Premature Birth* / epidemiology
Premature Birth* / etiology
Retrospective Studies
Rivers
Temperature

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter