Air Pollution and Postneonatal Infant Mortality in the United States, 1999–2002

Abstract

ObjectiveOur goal was to evaluate the relationship between cause-specific postneonatal infant mortality and chronic early-life exposure to particulate matter and gaseous air pollutants across the United States.MethodsWe linked county-specific monitoring data for particles with aerodiameter of ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and ≤ 10 μm (PM10), ozone, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide to birth and death records for infants born from 1999 to 2002 in U.S. counties with > 250,000 residents. For each infant, we calculated the average concentration of each pollutant over the first 2 months of life. We used logistic generalized estimating equations to estimate odds ratios of postneonatal mortality for all causes, respiratory causes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and all other causes for each pollutant, controlling for individual maternal factors (race, marital status, education, age, and primiparity), percentage of county population below poverty, region, birth month, birth year, and other pollutants. This analysis includes about 3.5 million births, with 6,639 postneonatal infant deaths.ResultsAfter adjustment for demographic and other factors and for other pollutants, we found adjusted odds ratios of 1.16 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06–1.27] for a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM10 for respiratory causes and 1.20 (95% CI, 1.09–1.32) for a 10-ppb increase in ozone and deaths from SIDS. We did not find relationships with other pollutants and for other causes of death (control category).ConclusionsThis study supports particulate matter air pollution being a risk factor for respiratory-related postneonatal mortality and suggests that ozone may be associated with SIDS in the United States.

A rapid assessment of the impact of hazard reduction burning around Sydney, May 2016

“…No multipollutant modelling was performed, but there were no significant associations for other pollutants. These results were in line with earlier studies discussed by the authors, but other recent studies have found no association (Tsai et al, 2006b;Woodruff, Darrow & Parker, 2008) or a positive association that was not statistically significant (Son, Cho & Lee, 2008).…”

Children’s Vulnerability To Toxic Chemicals: A Challenge And Opportunity To Strengthen Health And Environmental Policy

“…17,18 Risk of respiratory death is increased in infants exposed to fine particulate air pollution. 46 Prenatal exposure to phthalates has also been linked to shortening of the ano-genital distance in baby boys, a finding indicative of feminization. 47 Prenatal exposure to perfluorinated chemicals (perfluorooctanic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate) used to make nonstick pans and stain repellents has been linked to decreased birthweight and reduced head circumference in newborn infants.…”

Radical-Containing Ultrafine Particulate Matter Initiates Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transitions in Airway Epithelial Cells

“…Additionally, PM has adjuvant effects when combined with innocuous antigen (5-7) and induces cellular damage, stimulating fibrotic remodeling in adult rodent exposure models (2). The developing pulmonary and immune systems are particularly vulnerable (8). We have developed a model for studying particulate exposures in neonatal rodents (, 7 d of age) (9), which we apply here to understand the effects of combustiongenerated environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) on pulmonary airway remodeling.…”