Urban Air Pollution May Enhance COVID-19 Case-Fatality and Mortality Rates in the United States

Liang, Donghai; Shi, Liuhua; Zhao, Jingxuan; Liu, Pengfei; Schwartz, Joel; Gao, Song; Sarnat, Jeremy A.; Yang, Liu; Ebelt, Stefanie; Scovronick, Noah; Chang, Howard H.

doi:10.1101/2020.05.04.20090746

Cited by 68 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Fine particulate matter, represented as PM 2.5 , showed evidence of comorbidity in SARS-2 cases, with a relationship between the exposure to the pollutants and the exacerbation of symptoms and increased risk of mortality in the case of contamination of COVID-19 viruses [ 127 , 128 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

Domínguez-Amarillo

Fernández-Agüera

Cesteros-García

et al. 2020

IJERPH

101

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During the first outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic the population, focusing primarily on the risk of infection, was generally inattentive to the quality of indoor air. Spain, and the city of Madrid in particular, were among the world’s coronavirus hotspots. The country’s entire population was subject to a 24/7 lockdown for 45 days. This paper describes a comparative longitudinal survey of air quality in four types of housing in the city of Madrid before and during lockdown. The paper analysed indoor temperatures and variations in CO2, 2.5 μm particulate matter (PM2.5) and total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations before and during lockdown. The mean daily outdoor PM2.5 concentration declined from 11.04 µg/m3 before to 7.10 µg/m3 during lockdown. Before lockdown the NO2 concentration values scored as ‘very good’ 46% of the time, compared to 90.9% during that period. Although the city’s outdoor air quality improved, during lockdown the population’s exposure to indoor pollutants was generally more acute and prolonged. Due primarily to concern over domestic energy savings, the lack of suitable ventilation and more intensive use of cleaning products and disinfectants during the covid-19 crisis, indoor pollutant levels were typically higher than compatible with healthy environments. Mean daily PM2.5 concentration rose by approximately 12% and mean TVOC concentration by 37% to 559%. The paper also puts forward a series of recommendations to improve indoor domestic environments in future pandemics and spells out urgent action to be taken around indoor air quality (IAQ) in the event of total or partial quarantining to protect residents from respiratory ailments and concomitantly enhanced susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, as identified by international medical research.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

Domínguez-Amarillo

Fernández-Agüera

Cesteros-García

et al. 2020

IJERPH

101

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Ogen [29] found that long-term exposure to NO 2 may be an important cause of death with COVID-19 in Italy and Spain. At the same time, Liang and Shi [14]conducted a cross-sectional nationwide study to estimate the association between long-term county-level exposures to NO 2 , PM2.5 and O 3 and county-level COVID-19 case-fatality and mortality rates in the US, and found that Long-term exposure to NO 2 may enhance susceptibility to severe COVID-19 outcomes. However, all of those studies come from Europe or the USA.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The impact of air pollution has a chronic cumulative process on people. Until now, there are only a few relevant research on the relationship between the long-term air pollution and the outcome of patients with COVID-19, and no consistent conclusions [14,15]. We speculate that long-term exposure to air pollution will affect the case fatality rate (CFR) of patients with COVID-19.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Impact of Long-Term Air Pollution on the Case Fatality Rate of COVID-19

Hou¹,

Qin²,

Liu³

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background There is preliminary evidence of the long-term exposure to air pollution will affect the outcome of patients with COVID-19. More information is needed about relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and case fatality rate (CFR) of patients with COVID-19.Methods In this study, we have collected the data of Air Quality Index (AQI), PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2 and O3 from 14 representative cities in China in the past 5 years, and calculated the case fatality rate of COVID-19 in the corresponding city. First, we explored correlation relationship between CFR and long-term air quality indicators. Then, we try to point out the air pollutants that affect the level of CFR and evaluated their predictive value.Results We have observed a positive correlation between the CFR and AQI (1-year, 3-year, 5-year), PM2.5 (1-year, 3-year, 5-year), and PM10 (1-year, 3-year, 5-year). Meanwhile, AQI (3-year, 5-year) and PM2.5 (1-year, 3-year, 5-year) were significantly higher in the high CFR group. Moderate predictive value of air pollution indicator to CFR such as AQI (1-year, 3-year, 5-year), PM2.5 (1-year, 3-year, 5-year) have been found.Conclusions Our results indicate that long-term exposure to the environment with severe air pollution is associated with CFR of COVID-19. Air pollutants such as PM2.5 may have potential ability to predict the CFR of COVID-19.

show abstract

“…Similarly, high levels of air pollution in China are well-documented [ 63 ], and an analysis of 213 cities in China indicated positive associations of short-term exposure to PM 2.5 , PM 10 , CO, NO 2 , and O 3 with COVID-19 confirmed cases [ 64 ]. Two cross-sectional nationwide studies conducted in the United States also reported an increase in COVID-19 mortality rate correlated to prolonged single exposure to PM 2.5 [ 65 ] and NO 2 [ 66 ], and to long-term exposure to NO 2 independent of long-term PM 2.5 and O 3 exposure. [ 66 ].…”

Section: Possible Causal Links Between Covid-19 Infection and Amimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two cross-sectional nationwide studies conducted in the United States also reported an increase in COVID-19 mortality rate correlated to prolonged single exposure to PM 2.5 [ 65 ] and NO 2 [ 66 ], and to long-term exposure to NO 2 independent of long-term PM 2.5 and O 3 exposure. [ 66 ]. Furthermore, according an ecological macro-scale analysis carried out in 66 administrative regions in Italy, Spain, France, and Germany, five regions located in north Italy and central Spain with the highest number of fatality cases for COVID-19 showed the highest NO 2 concentrations [ 67 ].…”

Section: Possible Causal Links Between Covid-19 Infection and Amimentioning

confidence: 99%

“Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Time of COVID-19”: A Review of Biological, Environmental, and Psychosocial Contributors

Gorini

Chatzianagnostou

Mazzone

et al. 2020

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has quickly become a worldwide health crisis.Although respiratory disease remains the main cause of morbidity and mortality in COVID patients,myocardial damage is a common finding. Many possible biological pathways may explain therelationship between COVID-19 and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Increased immune andinflammatory responses, and procoagulant profile have characterized COVID patients. All theseresponses may induce endothelial dysfunction, myocardial injury, plaque instability, and AMI.Disease severity and mortality are increased by cardiovascular comorbidities. Moreover, COVID-19has been associated with air pollution, which may also represent an AMI risk factor. Nonetheless,a significant reduction in patient admissions following containment initiatives has been observed,including for AMI. The reasons for this phenomenon are largely unknown, although a real decreasein the incidence of cardiac events seems highly improbable. Instead, patients likely may presentdelayed time from symptoms onset and subsequent referral to emergency departments because offear of possible in-hospital infection, and as such, may present more complications. Here, we aim todiscuss available evidence about all these factors in the complex relationship between COVID-19and AMI, with particular focus on psychological distress and the need to increase awareness ofischemic symptoms.

show abstract

Urban Air Pollution May Enhance COVID-19 Case-Fatality and Mortality Rates in the United States

Cited by 68 publications

References 32 publications

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

Bad Air Can Also Kill: Residential Indoor Air Quality and Pollutant Exposure Risk during the COVID-19 Crisis

Impact of Long-Term Air Pollution on the Case Fatality Rate of COVID-19

“Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Time of COVID-19”: A Review of Biological, Environmental, and Psychosocial Contributors

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About