Maternal Exposure to Local, Source-specific Ambient Air Pollution During Pregnancy and Autism in Children: a Cohort Study From Southern Sweden

Abstract Evidence of air pollution exposure, namely, ambient particulate matter (PM), during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children is growing. Which PM sources contribute to this association is currently unknown, however. The aim of the present study was to investigate local source-specific ambient PM exposure and its association with ASD. A cohort of 48,571 singleton births from 1999 to 2009 in Scania, Sweden, was combined with data on locally emitted PM with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5). A flat, two-dimensional dispersion model was used to model PM2.5 exposure (all-source PM2.5, tailpipe exhaust, vehicle wear-and-tear, and small-scale residential heating- mainly wood burning) at the residential address. Associations were analyzed using binary logistic regression in partially and fully adjusted models. Clear associations were observed between PM2.5 and ASD, with statistical significance for all investigated sources in the partially adjusted model. In the fully adjusted model, only all-source PM2.5 was statistically significant. The results add to existing evidence that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk for ASD among children. Further, these findings suggest that locally emitted tailpipe exhaust, vehicle wear-and-tear, and small-scale residential heating all contribute to this association.

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Relationship between Air Pollutant Exposure and Gynecologic Cancer Risk

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105353 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5353

Author(s):

Qiwei Yu ◽

Liqiang Zhang ◽

Kun Hou ◽

Jingwen Li ◽

Suhong Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Gynecological Cancer ◽

Gynecologic Cancer ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Air Pollutant ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Short Term Exposure ◽

Increased Risk

Exposure to air pollution has been suggested to be associated with an increased risk of women’s health disorders. However, it remains unknown to what extent changes in ambient air pollution affect gynecological cancer. In our case–control study, the logistic regression model was combined with the restricted cubic spline to examine the association of short-term exposure to air pollution with gynecological cancer events using the clinical data of 35,989 women in Beijing from December 2008 to December 2017. We assessed the women’s exposure to air pollutants using the monitor located nearest to each woman’s residence and working places, adjusting for age, occupation, ambient temperature, and ambient humidity. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were examined to evaluate gynecologic cancer risk in six time windows (Phase 1–Phase 6) of women’s exposure to air pollutants (PM2.5, CO, O3, and SO2) and the highest ORs were found in Phase 4 (240 days). Then, the higher adjusted ORs were found associated with the increased concentrations of each pollutant (PM2.5, CO, O3, and SO2) in Phase 4. For instance, the adjusted OR of gynecological cancer risk for a 1.0-mg m−3 increase in CO exposures was 1.010 (95% CI: 0.881–1.139) below 0.8 mg m−3, 1.032 (95% CI: 0.871–1.194) at 0.8–1.0 mg m−3, 1.059 (95% CI: 0.973–1.145) at 1.0–1.4 mg m−3, and 1.120 (95% CI: 0.993–1.246) above 1.4 mg m−3. The ORs calculated in different air pollution levels accessed us to identify the nonlinear association between women’s exposure to air pollutants (PM2.5, CO, O3, and SO2) and the gynecological cancer risk. This study supports that the gynecologic risks associated with air pollution should be considered in improved public health preventive measures and policymaking to minimize the dangerous effects of air pollution.

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Early Pregnancy Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution among Late-Onset Preeclamptic Cases Is Associated with Placental DNA Hypomethylation of Specific Genes and Slower Placental Maturation

Toxics ◽

10.3390/toxics9120338 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 338

Author(s):

Karin Engström ◽

Yumjirmaa Mandakh ◽

Lana Garmire ◽

Zahra Masoumi ◽

Christina Isaxon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Dna Methylation ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Late Onset ◽

Dispersion Model ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Dna Hypomethylation ◽

Increased Risk

Exposure to ambient air pollution during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia (PE). Some suggested mechanisms behind this association are changes in placental DNA methylation and gene expression. The objective of this study was to identify how early pregnancy exposure to ambient nitrogen oxides (NOx) among PE cases and normotensive controls influence DNA methylation (EPIC array) and gene expression (RNA-seq). The study included placentas from 111 women (29 PE cases/82 controls) in Scania, Sweden. First-trimester NOx exposure was assessed at the participants’ residence using a dispersion model and categorized via median split into high or low NOx. Placental gestational epigenetic age was derived from the DNA methylation data. We identified six differentially methylated positions (DMPs, q < 0.05) comparing controls with low NOx vs. cases with high NOx and 14 DMPs comparing cases and controls with high NOx. Placentas with female fetuses showed more DMPs (N = 309) than male-derived placentas (N = 1). Placentas from PE cases with high NOx demonstrated gestational age deceleration compared to controls with low NOx (p = 0.034). No differentially expressed genes (DEGs, q < 0.05) were found. In conclusion, early pregnancy exposure to NOx affected placental DNA methylation in PE, resulting in placental immaturity and showing sexual dimorphism.

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Abstract P043: Does The Severity of Coronary Artery Disease Explain The Increased Risk of Death and Myocardial Infarction From Ambient Air Pollution Exposure?

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.125.suppl_10.ap043 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽

Author(s):

Somjot S Brar ◽

Denise Le ◽

Sumit Khandhar ◽

Dong Chang ◽

Lindsay Short ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Coronary Artery ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Left Main ◽

Left Main Disease ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Artery Disease ◽

The Relationship ◽

Road Distance

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution from traffic increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and is associated with coronary artery calcification. Whether this increased risk is mediated by severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unknown. METHODS: In this pilot study, the relationship between living near a major roadway and multivessel CAD confirmed by invasive coronary angiographic was explored. Subjects undergoing coronary angiography in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in 2009-10 were randomly selected. Investigators blinded to the exposure status reviewed coronary angiograms. Subjects were categorized as having: absence of or non-obstructive CAD, 1-vessel, 2-vessel, or 3-vessel CAD based upon the number of major epicardial vessels with > 70% stenoses. The distance from each subject's residence to the nearest major road was calculated in meters. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between severity of CAD and distance to major roadway. RESULTS: There were 642 subjects undergoing coronary angiography. The mean age (SD) was 64 years (12) and 36% were female. In multivariate analysis log-road distance was a predictor of multivessel CAD, odds ratio (OR) = 0.85 (95%CI, 0.75-0.98; p=0. 02) after adjusting for age, gender, hypertension, and diabetes, and smoking status. Other predictors of multivessel CAD included from the multivariate logist model were: male gender (OR, 3.00, 95% CI, 2.06-4.39; p<0.001), diabetes (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.75-3.54; p<0.001), and hypertension 2.58; 95%CI, 1.28-5.21; p=0.008). The most severe form of CAD, >50% stenosis of the left main artery, was observed in 6.6% of the cohort. In a multivariate model, age (P = 0.002) and diabetes (P = 0.002) were significant predictors of severe left main disease; there was a trend for log-road distance (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.67-1.02; P = 0.079) with left main disease. CONCLUSIONS: Multivessel CAD was strongly associated with traditional risk factors. After adjusting for these factors, living near a major roadway was also a predictor. This study demonstrates the feasibility of exploring the association between angiographic CAD and traffic pollution. Additional studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the increase in adverse cardiovascular events from air pollution.

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The Relationship Between Air Pollution and All-Cause Mortality in Singapore

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11010009 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Ho ◽

Zheng ◽

Cheong ◽

En ◽

Pek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Health Hazard ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

World Population ◽

Distributed Lag ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Unit Increase ◽

The Relationship

Ambient air pollution is a risk factor for both acute and chronic diseases and poses serious health threats to the world population. We aim to study the relationship between air pollution and all-cause mortality in the context of a city-state exposed to the Southeast Asian haze problem. The primary exposure was ambient air pollution, as measured by the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI). The outcome of interest was all-cause mortality from 2010–2015. A time-stratified case-crossover design was performed. A conditional Poisson regression model, including environmental variables such as PSI, temperature, wind speed, and rainfall, was fitted to the daily count of deaths to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of mortality per unit increase in PSI, accounting for overdispersion and autocorrelation. To account for intermediate exposure effects (maximum lag of 10 days), a distributed lag non-linear model was used. There were 105,504 deaths during the study period. Increment in PSI was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality. The adjusted IRR of mortality per the 10-unit increase in PSI was 1.01 (95%CI = 1.00–1.01). The lag effect was stronger when PSI was in the unhealthy range compared to the good and moderate ranges. At lag = 7 days, PSI appeared to have an adverse effect on mortality, although the effect was not significant. These findings provide evidence on the general health hazard of exposure to air pollution and can potentially guide public health policies in the region.

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Short-term effects of air pollution on blood pressure

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-56413-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

You-Jung Choi ◽

Sun-Hwa Kim ◽

Si-Hyuck Kang ◽

Sun-Young Kim ◽

Ok-Jin Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Pathophysiological Mechanism ◽

Short Term ◽

Mortality And Morbidity ◽

Short Term Exposure ◽

Increased Risk

AbstractElevated blood pressure (BP) has been proposed as a possible pathophysiological mechanism linking exposure to ambient air pollution and the increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In this study, we investigated the hourly relationship between ambient air pollutants and BP. BP measurements were extracted from the electronic health record database of the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from February 2015 to June 2017. A total of 98,577 individual BP measurements were matched to the hourly levels of air pollutants. A generalized additive model was constructed for hour lags of 0–8 of air pollutants adjusting for age, sex, meteorological variables, and time trend. Systolic BP was shown to be significantly lower at 2–4 hours and 3–5 hours after increased levels of SO2 and CO, respectively (0.24 mmHg and 0.26 mmHg for an interquartile range, respectively). In contrast, O3 and NO2 were associated with significantly increased systolic BP at 3–5 lag hours and at 0–2 lag hours, respectively. BP elevation in association with O3 and NO2 was shown to be significantly greater in hypertensive patients than normotensive subjects. Our findings suggest that short-term exposure to air pollution may be associated with elevated BP.

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Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution Associated with Increased Risk of Incident Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Cohort Study

ISEE Conference Abstracts ◽

10.1289/isesisee.2018.p02.1310 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lauren Paul ◽

Rick Burnett ◽

Jeffrey C. Kwong ◽

Perry Hystad ◽

Aaron van Donkelaar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Population Based ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Incident Diabetes ◽

Increased Risk

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Ambient PM2.5 and PM10 Exposure and Respiratory Disease Hospitalization in Kandy, Sri Lanka

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189617 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9617

Author(s):

Sajith Priyankara ◽

Mahesh Senarathna ◽

Rohan Jayaratne ◽

Lidia Morawska ◽

Sachith Abeysundara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Respiratory Disease ◽

Hospital Admissions ◽

Additive Model ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Pm2.5 And Pm10 ◽

Pm10 Exposure

Evidence of associations between exposure to ambient air pollution and health outcomes are sparse in the South Asian region due to limited air pollution exposure and quality health data. This study investigated the potential impacts of ambient particulate matter (PM) on respiratory disease hospitalization in Kandy, Sri Lanka for the year 2019. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was applied to estimate the short-term effect of ambient PM on respiratory disease hospitalization. As the second analysis, respiratory disease hospitalizations during two distinct air pollution periods were analyzed. Each 10 μg/m3 increase in same-day exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 was associated with an increased risk of respiratory disease hospitalization by 1.95% (0.25, 3.67) and 1.63% (0.16, 3.12), respectively. The effect of PM2.5 or PM10 on asthma hospitalizations were 4.67% (1.23, 8.23) and 4.04% (1.06, 7.11), respectively (p < 0.05). The 65+ years age group had a higher risk associated with PM2.5 and PM10 exposure and hospital admissions for all respiratory diseases on the same day (2.74% and 2.28%, respectively). Compared to the lower ambient air pollution period, higher increased hospital admissions were observed among those aged above 65 years, males, and COPD and pneumonia hospital admissions during the high ambient air pollution period. Active efforts are crucial to improve ambient air quality in this region to reduce the health effects.

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Association between Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Rheumatoid Arthritis in Adults

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16071227 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. 1227 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jiyoung Shin ◽

Jiyoung Lee ◽

Jueun Lee ◽

Eun-Hee Ha

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Positive Association ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Control Group ◽

Binary Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

The Third ◽

Increased Risk ◽

One Year

Environmental factors may play roles in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and some studies have shown that air pollution was associated with the development of autoimmune disease. This study was designed to investigate the effect of air pollutants on the development of adult RA. A nested case-control cohort study was performed using the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort during 2002–2014 in Korea. Air pollution data were collected from the National Ambient Air Monitoring System (NAMIS), and exposure levels were extrapolated using geographic information systems. The group with RA (n = 444) was compared with a propensity score-matched control group (n = 1776), and one-year average concentrations of air pollution were predicted at each patient’s residence. The adjusted binary logistic regression analysis showed a positive association between O3 exposure and the incidence risk of RA for the third (odds ratios (OR) = 1.45, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.08–1.96) and fourth (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.00–1.83) quartiles in adults over 20 years of age. The third quartile CO exposure was also associated with an increased risk of RA (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.16–2.12). The results of this nationwide population-based study showed that a one-year exposure to CO and O3 in adults was associated with an increased risk of RA.

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Air pollution exposure and risk of spontaneous abortion in the Nurses’ Health Study II

Human Reproduction ◽

10.1093/humrep/dez111 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (9) ◽

pp. 1809-1817 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Audrey J Gaskins ◽

Jaime E Hart ◽

Jorge E Chavarro ◽

Stacey A Missmer ◽

Janet W Rich-Edwards ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Spontaneous Abortion ◽

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Health Study ◽

Case Crossover ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Crossover Analysis

Abstract STUDY QUESTION Is there an association between air pollution exposures and the risk of spontaneous abortion (SAB)? SUMMARY ANSWER Higher exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution above and beyond a woman’s average exposure may be associated with greater risk of SAB, particularly among women experiencing at least one SAB during follow-up. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY There is sufficient biologic plausibility to suggest that air pollution adversely affects early pregnancy outcomes, particularly pregnancy loss; however, the evidence is limited. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Our prospective cohort study included 19 309 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II who contributed a total of 35 025 pregnancies between 1990 and 2008. We also conducted a case-crossover analysis among 3585 women (11 212 pregnancies) with at least one SAB and one live birth during follow-up. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Proximity to major roadways and exposure to PM <10 microns (PM10), 2.5–10 microns (PM2.5–10) and <2.5 microns (PM2.5) were determined for residential addresses between 1989 and 2007. Pregnancy outcomes were self-reported biannually throughout follow-up and comprehensively in 2009. Multivariable log-binomial regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the risk ratios and 95% CIs of SAB. Conditional logistic regression was used for the case-crossover analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE During the 19 years of follow-up, 6599 SABs (18.8% of pregnancies) were reported. In the main analysis, living closer to a major roadway and average exposure to PM10, PM10–2.5 or PM2.5 in the 1 or 2 years prior to pregnancy were not associated with an increased risk of SAB. However, small positive associations between PM exposures and SAB were observed when restricting the analysis to women experiencing at least one SAB during follow-up. In the case-crossover analysis, an increase in PM10 (per 3.9 μg/m3), PM2.5–10 (per 2.3 μg/m3) and PM2.5 (per 2.0 μg/m3) in the year prior to pregnancy was associated with 1.12 (95% CI 1.06, 1.19), 1.09 (95% CI 1.03, 1.14) and 1.10 (95% CI 1.04, 1.17) higher odds of SAB, respectively. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We did not have information on the month or day of SAB, which precluded our ability to examine specific windows of susceptibility or acute exposures. We also used ambient air pollution exposures as a proxy for personal exposure, potentially leading to exposure misclassification. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS In our case-crossover analysis (but not in the entire cohort) we observed positive associations between exposure to all size fractions of PM exposure and risk of SAB. This may suggest that changes in PM exposure confer greater risk of SAB or that women with a history of SAB are a particularly vulnerable subgroup. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The authors are supported by the following NIH grants UM1CA176726, R00ES026648 and P30ES000002. The authors have no actual or potential competing financial interests to disclose.

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