Associations between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and lung function in adults

Tingting Wei; Cuicui Chen; Yanjie Yang; Li Li; Jian Wang; Maosong Ye; Haidong Kan; Dong Yang; Yuanlin Song; Jing Cai; Dongni Hou

doi:10.1038/s41370-023-00550-0

Associations between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and lung function in adults

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2023 May 13. doi: 10.1038/s41370-023-00550-0. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Tingting Wei^#¹, Cuicui Chen^#¹, Yanjie Yang¹, Li Li¹, Jian Wang¹, Maosong Ye¹, Haidong Kan², Dong Yang¹, Yuanlin Song^{1

3}, Jing Cai^{4

5}, Dongni Hou⁶

Affiliations

¹ Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and Injury, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
² School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
³ National and Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
⁴ School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. jingcai@fudan.edu.cn.
⁵ Shanghai Typhoon Institute/CMA, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai, China. jingcai@fudan.edu.cn.
⁶ Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and Injury, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. houdn2014@126.com.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 37179406
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00550-0

Abstract

Background: Evidence of the acute effects of high-level air pollution on small airway function and systemic inflammation in adults is scarce.

Objective: To examined the associations of short-term (i.e., daily) exposure to multiple air pollutants with lung function and inflammatory markers.

Methods: We assessed short-term (daily) effects of air pollutants, including particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and 10 μm (PM₁₀), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO), on lung function and peripheral immune cell counts over various lag times using generalized linear regression models.

Results: A total of 4764 adults were included from the general community-dwelling population in Shanghai, China. Exposure to air pollutants and lung function were negatively correlated. Decline in FEF between 25% and 75% of vital capacity (FEF_25-75%) were found associated with PM_2.5, SO₂, and CO, and decline in forced expiratory volume in 3 s (FEV₃) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio were associated with all examined pollutants, indicating obstruction in small airways. Obstructed airflow in large and middle airways as indicated by decline in FEV₁/FVC were also associated with all pollutants. In subgroup analysis, significant negative associations between the five pollutants and SAD parameters were found only in males but not in females. The difference in the associations of SO₂ with FEF_75% between males and females achieved statistical significance. Additionally, all examined pollutants were significantly associated with lower peripheral neutrophil count.

Impact statement: Acute exposure to air pollutants were associated with airflow-limitation. Both small airways and proximal airways were affected. Acute exposure to air pollutants were accompanied with a lower neutrophil count.

Keywords: Air pollution; Lung function; Neutrophil; Particulate matters; Small airway dysfunction.