RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Ambient air pollution and risk of respiratory infection among adults: evidence from the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA)
JF BMJ Open Respiratory Research
JO BMJ Open Resp Res
FD British Thoracic Society
SP e000866
DO 10.1136/bmjresp-2020-000866
VO 8
IS 1
A1 Kipruto Kirwa
A1 Carly M Eckert
A1 Sverre Vedal
A1 Anjum Hajat
A1 Joel D Kaufman
YR 2021
UL http://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/8/1/e000866.abstract
AB Background Air pollution may affect the risk of respiratory infection, though research has focused on uncommon infections or infections in children. Whether ambient air pollutants increase the risk of common acute respiratory infections among adults is uncertain, yet this may help understand whether pollutants influence spread of pandemic respiratory infections like COVID-19.Objective To estimate the association between ambient air pollutant exposures and respiratory infections in adults.Methods During five study examinations over 12 years, 6536 participants in the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA) reported upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, pneumonia or febrile illness in the preceding 2 weeks. Using a validated spatiotemporal model, we estimated residential concentrations of ambient PM2.5, NOx and NO2 for the 2–6 weeks (short-term) and year (long-term) prior to each examination.Results In this population aged 44–84 years at baseline, 10%–32% of participants reported a recent respiratory infection, depending on month of examination and study region. PM2.5, NOx and NO2 concentrations over the prior 2–6 weeks were associated with increased reporting of recent respiratory infection, with risk ratios (95% CIs) of 1.04 (1.00 to 1.09), 1.15 (1.10 to 1.20) and 1.21 (1.10 to 1.33), respectively, per increase from 25th to 75th percentile in residential pollutant concentration.Conclusion Higher short-term exposure to PM2.5 and traffic-related pollutants are associated with increased risk of symptomatic acute respiratory infections among adults. These findings may provide an insight into the epidemiology of COVID-19.