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

Sai Li; Gang Wang; Yishuo Geng; Wei Wu; Xiaoli Duan

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158151

Lung function decline associated with individual short-term exposure to PM₁, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis

Sci Total Environ. 2022 Dec 10;851(Pt 1):158151. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158151. Epub 2022 Aug 18.

Authors

Sai Li¹, Gang Wang², Yishuo Geng¹, Wei Wu², Xiaoli Duan³

Affiliations

¹ School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, PLA Strategic Support Force Characteristic Medical Center, Beijing 100101, China.
³ School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: jasmine@ustb.edu.cn.

PMID: 35988632
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158151

Abstract

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 (FEF₂₅_-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 FEF₂₅_-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.

Keywords: Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis; Immunoglobulin E; Lung function; Particulate matter.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution*
Allergens
Cytokines
Environmental Exposure
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Lung
Particulate Matter / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
Allergens
Cytokines
Particulate Matter
Immunoglobulin E