Long-term exposure to NO₂and PM₁₀and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a prospective cohort of women

Abstract

We assessed whether long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality during a period of declining particulate matter concentrations.Approximately 4800 women aged 55 years from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, were followed for up to 18 years. Exposure to air pollution was assessed in two ways: (1) using the distance between the residential address and the nearest major road, as calculated from Geographic Information System data and (2) calculating 1-year average particulate matter concentrations below 10 µm (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels using data from the nearest air-monitoring station data to the subjects’ residences. Ninety-two per cent of all subjects lived in the same community during the entire follow-up period. Associations between mortality and exposure were assessed using Cox's proportional hazards models, including confounder adjustment.Sixteen per cent of women passed away during the follow-up period. An increase of 7 μg/m3 PM10 (IQR) was associated with an increased HR for all-cause (HR 1.15, 95% CI (1.04 to 1.27)), cardiopulmonary (HR 1.39, 95% CI (1.17 to 1.64)), and lung cancer mortality (HR 1.84, 95% CI (1.23 to 2.74)). An increase of 16 μg/m3 (IQR) NO2 exposure was associated with all-cause (HR 1.18, 95% CI (1.07 to 1.30)) and cardiopulmonary mortality (HR 1.55, 95% CI (1.30 to 1.84)). The association between cardiopulmonary mortality and PM10 was reduced for the extended follow-up period, during which PM10 concentrations (but not NO2 concentrations) were lower. Living close to a major road was associated with an increased relative risk for all-cause, cardiopulmonary and respiratory mortality. These associations were temporally stable.Long-term exposure to ambient PM10 and NO2 was associated with increased mortality rates.

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

“…In contrast to the analyses of Gehring et al (2006) and Heinrich et al (2013), which investigated all-cause and cardiopulmonary mortality, the analyses of the SALIA-study data by Schikowski et al (2007) investigated cardiovascular mortality risk in relation to NO 2 and PM 10 , and a possible effect modification in women with impaired lung function or preexistent respiratory diseases. The significantly elevated mortality risk from cardiovascular causes in relation to NO 2 (median exposure: 46 μg/m 3 ) was not higher in the susceptible subgroup than in the whole sample.…”

“…Six of the twenty-four areas with a NO 2 average from 36 μg/m 3 to 61 μg/m 3 were excluded from the analyses, as the monitors were not considered representative of the population's exposure (assessed with a high nitrogen oxide-to-NO 2 ratio, indicating localized traffic sources). In Germany, Heinrich et al (2013) followed the vital status of women with baseline NO 2 and PM 10 exposure values for more than 18 years (SALIA study). Positive effects were found for all-cause and cardiopulmonary mortality in relation to NO 2 (median exposure: 41 μg/m 3 in the year before baseline investigation, based on the annual average of the next monitoring station)) and for all-cause and cardiopulmonary mortality and for lung cancer mortality in relation to PM 10 .…”

Outdoor Particulate Matter Exposure and Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…We identified 17 cohort studies Beeson et al 1998;Cao et al 2011;Carey et al 2013;Cesaroni et al 2013;Hales et al 2012;Hart et al 2011;Heinrich et al 2013;Jerrett et al 2013;Katanoda et al 2011;Krewski et al 2009;Lepeule et al 2012;Lipsett et al 2011;McDonnell et al 2000;Naess et al 2007;Pope et al 2002;Raaschou-Nielsen et al 2013) and one case-control study (Hystad et al 2013) of lung cancer that provided estimates of the quantitative relationships between the risk of lung cancer and exposure to PM 2.5 or PM 10 that could be expressed per 10-μg/m 3 change in PM. Estimates from one cohort study (Naess et al 2007) could not be converted to units of 10-μg/m 3 , and thus, this study did not contribute to the meta-estimates.…”

An Integrated Assessment Method for Sustainable Transport System Planning in a Middle Sized German City

“…Car traffic in particular is a significant emission source for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) in Europe and Germany [8]. These air pollutants have detrimental effects on human health leading to cardiovascular, as well as respiratory diseases [9,10]. European citizens may legally demand air quality action plans in case of actual or potential exceedances of legal air quality limit values such as for NOx and PM10 (PM with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 µm).…”