Associations between exposure to ambient particulate matter and advanced liver fibrosis in Chinese MAFLD patients

Yunfei Xing; Xiangyang Gao; Qin Li; Xueying Li; Youxin Wang; Yifan Yang; Shuhan Yang; Patrick W C Lau; Qiang Zeng; Hui Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132501

Associations between exposure to ambient particulate matter and advanced liver fibrosis in Chinese MAFLD patients

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Oct 15:460:132501. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132501. Epub 2023 Sep 7.

Authors

Yunfei Xing¹, Xiangyang Gao², Qin Li³, Xueying Li¹, Youxin Wang¹, Yifan Yang¹, Shuhan Yang¹, Patrick W C Lau⁴, Qiang Zeng⁵, Hui Wang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
² Health Management Institute, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
³ Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China.
⁴ Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, 999077, Hong Kong SAR China; Laboratory of Exercise Science and Health, BNU-HKBU United International College, Zhuhai 519087, China.
⁵ Health Management Institute, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China. Electronic address: zq301@126.com.
⁶ Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: huiwang@bjmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37690203
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132501

Abstract

Background & aims: Liver fibrosis is an important feature in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). This study aimed to explore the association between long-term ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure and advanced liver fibrosis (ALF) in MAFLD participants.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 23170 adults recruited from 33 provinces of China from 2010 to 2020. ALF was detected using the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS). The annual average levels of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of ≤ 1 µm (PM₁), ≤ 2.5 µm (PM_2.5) and ≤ 10 µm (PM₁₀) were calculated using validated spatiotemporal models. Generalized additive models were applied to analyze the association between PM and ALF in patients with MAFLD.

Results: One-year exposure to higher levels of all PM was found to increase the risk of ALF, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.10 (95% CI 1.06-1.14), 1.05 (1.03-1.07), and 1.03(1.02-1.04) for each 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, respectively. With the dissection of the impact of PM₁ in PM_2.5, PM_2.5 in PM₁₀ and PM₁ in PM₁₀, we found that PM_2.5 had a stronger impact on ALF (both P_interaction＜0.05) in comparison with PM₁ and PM₁₀.

Conclusions: Long-term exposure to PM is associated with ALF in patients with MAFLD, with PM_2.5 playing a dominant role.

Keywords: Advanced liver fibrosis; Ambient particulate matter; MAFLD; NAFLD fibrosis score.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
East Asian People
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis / chemically induced
Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease*
Particulate Matter*

Substances

Particulate Matter