The Impact of Chronic Ambient Exposure to PM_2.5 and Ozone on Asthma Prevalence and COPD Mortality Rates in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Respiratory diseases affect millions of people across the United States annually. Two of the most common respiratory diseases are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Mortality rates due to COPD have increased by an estimated 30% between 1980 and 2014, with significant variances among geographic regions. Both acute and chronic ambient exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone have been associated with exacerbations of respiratory diseases in numerous studies, and exposure to air pollutants are considered as the largest health risk factor globally. This study adds to the current literature by reporting the results of a time series analysis of the impact of PM2.5 and ozone on prevalence rates of asthma and mortality rates for COPD at regional and county levels across the southeastern United States for the years 2005–2014. While general reductions in levels of PM2.5 and ozone were demonstrated across all years, a distributed lag model showed continued strong associations between PM2.5 and prevalence of asthma and mortality due to COPD, even at relatively small increases in ambient exposure (<1 μg/m3) across the southeastern United States. The results of the study support the need for additional research that considers factors such as patient demographics, medical histories, and health disparities in combination with ambient exposures to known pollutants.

Potential role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air pollution-induced non-malignant respiratory diseases

“…Respiratory function and symptoms in adults. Changes in respiratory functions in adults induced by air pollution have been linked to development and/or exacerbation of asthma and COPD [64]. Within a representative sample of the Canadian population (6-79 years) changes in urinary metabolites of eight PAHs (2-hydroxy-napthalene, 1-, and 2-hydroxy-phenanthrene, 2-, 3-, and 9-hydroxyfluorene and 3-and 4-hydroxy-phenanthrene) were associated with significant decrements in lung function [65].…”

Use of trajectory models to track air pollution from source to exposure: A methodological approach for identifying communities at risk

“…Our study contributes to the small body of research using environmental metrics and measured conducted by public health nurse researchers. Recent work by Amiri et al (2019) is an important example of using environmental data to determine the impact of contemporaneous and cumulative air pollution on COPD and asthma prevalence on populations in the Southeastern United States. Such research highlights the potential impact of expanding public health nursing researcher training to include use of environmental data and methods.…”

Multiomic Signatures of Traffic-Related Air Pollution in London Reveal Potential Short-Term Perturbations in Gut Microbiome-Related Pathways

“…Epidemiological evidence has increasingly linked human exposure to urban particulate matter (PM) with serious adverse health effects, including increased mortality and morbidity. − PMs, especially fine PM (PM 2.5 ), may exert adverse health effects even at low exposures . Moreover, elevated levels of PM 2.5 are strongly correlated with increased chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease prevalence. − Although the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood, it appears that the triggering of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers are fundamental to increasing risk. − Human health studies could reveal mechanistic processes and distinct end points associated with short- and long-term exposure to TRAP-related pollutants .…”

“…Epidemiological evidence has increasingly linked human exposure to urban particulate matter (PM) with serious adverse health effects, including increased mortality and morbidity. 4 − 6 PMs, especially fine PM (PM 2.5 ), may exert adverse health effects even at low exposures. 7 Moreover, elevated levels of PM 2.5 are strongly correlated with increased chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease prevalence.…”