Residential greenness and incident idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A prospective study

Linxi Tang; Feipeng Cui; Yudiyang Ma; Dankang Li; Jianing Wang; Run Liu; Yaohua Tian

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.117984

Residential greenness and incident idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A prospective study

Environ Res. 2024 Mar 15:245:117984. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117984. Epub 2023 Dec 27.

Authors

Linxi Tang¹, Feipeng Cui¹, Yudiyang Ma¹, Dankang Li¹, Jianing Wang¹, Run Liu¹, Yaohua Tian²

Affiliations

¹ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, China.
² Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: yaohua_tian@hust.edu.cn.

PMID: 38154569
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117984

Abstract

Background: The impact of residential greenness on incident idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is unknown. We aimed to assess the association between residential greenness and incident IPF, identify underlying pathways, and further evaluate the effect among different genetic subgroups.

Methods: 469,348 participants in the UK Biobank were included and followed until December 2020. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) within 300-, 500-, 1000-, and 1500-m buffers (NDVI_300m, NDVI_500m, NDVI_1000m, and NDVI_1500m) were employed as indicators of greenness. The polygenic risk score (PRS) was constructed based on 13 independent SNPs. Cox models were fitted to assess the association of residential greenness with incident IPF. Casual mediation analyses were applied to evaluate potential mediators.

Findings: After a median follow-up of 11.85 years, 1574 IPF cases were identified. We found residential greenness inversely associated with incident IPF. The HRs (95%CIs) for each interquartile increase of NDVI_300m, NDVI_500m, NDVI_1000m, NDVI_1500m were 0.93 (0.87, 0.99), 0.92 (0.86, 0.98), 0.89 (0.83, 0.95), and 0.89 (0.83, 0.95), respectively. The association was stronger among individuals with intermediate or high genetic risk. In mediation analyses, the main mediators identified were PM_2.5 and NO₂, with proportion mediated estimated to be 31.92% and 40.61% respectively for NDVI_300m.

Interpretation: Residential greenness was associated with reduced risk of incident IPF.

Keywords: Cohort study; Genetic susceptibility; Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Residential greenness.

MeSH terms

Air Pollution*
China
Humans
Prospective Studies
Residence Characteristics*
Risk Factors