Long-term PM2.5 exposure linked to higher incident asthma risk, strongest in older urban Medical Aid recipients
A nationwide cohort study reports that PM2.5 exposure was associated with incident asthma, with risk rising as urban residence, poverty and older age overlapped.
“The association was strongest among older urban Medical Aid recipients (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.66–1.94).”— Allergy EAACI
Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with incident asthma in a nationwide cohort, according to a study published in the journal Allergy and highlighted in a post on X by the journal's account.
The study, titled "Cumulative Vulnerability to Particulate Matter and Incident Asthma: Joint Effects of Urbanicity, Poverty, and Age in a Nationwide Cohort", lists Hyun Lee as first author and Juhee Cho as corresponding author. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less.
The post reported a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.33 (95% CI 1.32–1.34) for incident asthma per 10 μg/m3 of long-term PM2.5 exposure.
According to the post, vulnerability to PM2.5-associated asthma increased with overlapping vulnerabilities of urban residence, poverty and older age, with a p value for interaction below 0.001. The association was strongest among older urban Medical Aid recipients, with an HR of 1.80 (95% CI 1.66–1.94).
The post also pointed readers to other articles published in Allergy on the impact of climate change on health.
Original source
“The association was strongest among older urban Medical Aid recipients (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.66–1.94).”
— Allergy EAACI View the post on X
