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Libby TE, Ilango SD, Leary CS, Semmens EO, Adam CE, Fitzpatrick AL, Kaufman JD, Hajat A. An assessment of the mediating role of hypertension in the effect of long-term air pollution exposure on dementia. Environ Epidemiol 2024; 8:e306. [PMID: 38799261 PMCID: PMC11115980 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Growing evidence links air pollution exposure to the risk of dementia. We hypothesized that hypertension may partially mediate this effect. Methods We previously documented an association between air pollution and dementia in the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 3069 adults ≥75 years across four US sites who were evaluated for dementia every 6 months from 2000-2008. We utilized a two-stage regression approach for causal mediation analysis to decompose the total effect of air pollution on dementia into its natural direct and indirect effect through prevalent hypertension. Exposure to air pollution in the 10 or 20 years before enrollment was assigned using estimates from fine-scale spatial-temporal models for PM2.5, PM10, and NO2. We used Poisson regression models for hypertension and Cox proportional hazard models for time-to-incident all-cause dementia, adjusting for a priori confounders. Results Participants were free of mild cognitive impairment at baseline (n = 2564 included in analyses); 69% had prevalent hypertension at baseline. During follow-up, 12% developed all-cause dementia (Alzheimer's disease [AD] = 212; vascular dementia with or without AD [VaD/AD mixed] = 97). We did not find an adverse effect of any air pollutant on hypertension. Hypertension was associated with VaD/AD mixed (HR, 1.92 [95% CI = 1.14, 3.24]) but not AD. We did not observe mediation through hypertension for the effect of any pollutant on dementia outcomes. Conclusions The lack of mediated effect may be due to other mechanistic pathways and the minimal effect of air pollution on hypertension in this cohort of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya E. Libby
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Sindana D. Ilango
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Cindy S. Leary
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Erin O. Semmens
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Claire E. Adam
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Annette L. Fitzpatrick
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Anjum Hajat
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Power MC, Lynch KM, Bennett EE, Ying Q, Park ES, Xu X, Smith RL, Stewart JD, Yanosky JD, Liao D, van Donkelaar A, Kaufman JD, Sheppard L, Szpiro AA, Whitsel EA. A comparison of PM 2.5 exposure estimates from different estimation methods and their associations with cognitive testing and brain MRI outcomes. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 256:119178. [PMID: 38768885 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reported associations between particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) and cognitive outcomes remain mixed. Differences in exposure estimation method may contribute to this heterogeneity. OBJECTIVES To assess agreement between PM2.5 exposure concentrations across 11 exposure estimation methods and to compare resulting associations between PM2.5 and cognitive or MRI outcomes. METHODS We used Visit 5 (2011-2013) cognitive testing and brain MRI data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. We derived address-linked average 2000-2007 PM2.5 exposure concentrations in areas immediately surrounding the four ARIC recruitment sites (Forsyth County, NC; Jackson, MS; suburbs of Minneapolis, MN; Washington County, MD) using 11 estimation methods. We assessed agreement between method-specific PM2.5 concentrations using descriptive statistics and plots, overall and by site. We used adjusted linear regression to estimate associations of method-specific PM2.5 exposure estimates with cognitive scores (n = 4678) and MRI outcomes (n = 1518) stratified by study site and combined site-specific estimates using meta-analyses to derive overall estimates. We explored the potential impact of unmeasured confounding by spatially patterned factors. RESULTS Exposure estimates from most methods had high agreement across sites, but low agreement within sites. Within-site exposure variation was limited for some methods. Consistently null findings for the PM2.5-cognitive outcome associations regardless of method precluded empirical conclusions about the potential impact of method on study findings in contexts where positive associations are observed. Not accounting for study site led to consistent, adverse associations, regardless of exposure estimation method, suggesting the potential for substantial bias due to residual confounding by spatially patterned factors. DISCUSSION PM2.5 estimation methods agreed across sites but not within sites. Choice of estimation method may impact findings when participants are concentrated in small geographic areas. Understanding unmeasured confounding by factors that are spatially patterned may be particularly important in studies of air pollution and cognitive or brain health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda C Power
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
| | - Katie M Lynch
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Erin E Bennett
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Qi Ying
- Zachry Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, 201 Dwight Look, College Station, TX, 77840, USA
| | - Eun Sug Park
- Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, 3135 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, 212 Adriance Lab Rd, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Richard L Smith
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 318 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Daur Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - James D Stewart
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Daur Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Jeff D Yanosky
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, 700 HMC Cres Rd, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Duanping Liao
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, 700 HMC Cres Rd, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering McKelvey School of Engineering, 1 Brookings Dr, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Adam A Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Eric A Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Daur Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 321 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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3
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Kentros PA, Huang Y, Wylie BJ, Khoury-Collado F, Hou JY, de Meritens AB, St Clair CM, Hershman DL, Wright JD. Ambient particulate matter air pollution exposure and ovarian cancer incidence in the USA: An ecological study. BJOG 2024; 131:690-698. [PMID: 37840233 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.17689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate associations between air particulate matter of ≤2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5 ) and ovarian cancer. DESIGN County-level ecological study. SETTING Surveillance, epidemiology, and end results from a collection of state-level cancer registries across 744 counties. Data from the Environmental Protection Agency's network for PM2.5 monitoring was used to calculate trailing 5- and 10-year PM2.5 county-level values. County-level data on demographic characteristics were obtained from the American Community Survey. POPULATION A total of 98 751 patients with histologically confirmed ovarian cancer as a primary malignancy from 2000 to 2016. METHODS Generalised linear regression models were developed to estimate the association between PM2.5 and PM10 levels, over 5- and 10-year periods of exposure, and ovarian cancer risk, after accounting for county-level covariates. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Risk ratios for associations between ovarian cancer (both overall and specifically epithelial ovarian cancer) and PM2.5 levels. RESULTS For the 744 counties included, the average PM2.5 level from 1990 through 2018 was 11.75 μg/m3 (SD = 3.7) and the average PM10 level was 22.7 μg/m3 (SD = 5.7). After adjusting for county-level covariates, the overall annualised ovarian cancer incidence was significantly associated with increases in 5-year PM2.5 (RR = 1.11 per 10 units (μg/m3 ) increase, 95% CI 1.06-1.16). Similarly, when the analysis was limited to epithelial cell tumours and adjusted for county-level covariates there was a significant association with trailing 5-year PM2.5 exposure models (RR = 1.12 per 10 units increase, 95% CI 1.08-1.17). Likewise, 10-year PM2.5 exposure was associated with ovarian cancer overall and with epithelial ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS Higher county-level ambient PM2.5 levels are associated with 5- and 10-year incidences of ovarian cancer, as measurable in an ecological study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yongmei Huang
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Blair J Wylie
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
| | - Fady Khoury-Collado
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - June Y Hou
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexandre Buckley de Meritens
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Caryn M St Clair
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dawn L Hershman
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jason D Wright
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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Pedde M, Adar SD. Representativeness of the US EPA PM monitoring site locations to the US population: implications for air pollution prediction modeling. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00644-3. [PMID: 38316907 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00644-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Air pollution prediction modeling establishes relationships between measurements and geographical and meteorological characteristics to infer concentrations at locations without measurements. Since air pollution monitors are limited in number, predictions may be generated for locations different than those used to train the model. The epidemiologic impacts of this potential mismatch hinge on whether the population resides in areas well-represented by monitoring sites. Here we quantify the fraction of the population with geographical characteristics not reflected by the 2000, 2010, and 2020 EPA PM2.5 and PM10 regulatory sites. We evaluated this measure nationwide, regionally, and by race. Nationally, the networks were very representative of the population experience; however, there was less overlap regionally and in regions stratified by race. This suggests that sub-national exposure modeling should carefully consider the representativeness of monitors for their populations. It also highlights that exposure models often borrow information from distal places to predict full population exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith Pedde
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Sara D Adar
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Jones RR, Fisher JA, Hasheminassab S, Kaufman JD, Freedman ND, Ward MH, Sioutas C, Vermeulen R, Hoek G, Silverman DT. Outdoor Ultrafine Particulate Matter and Risk of Lung Cancer in Southern California. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2024; 209:307-315. [PMID: 37856832 PMCID: PMC10840777 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202305-0902oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Particulate matter ⩽2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) is an established cause of lung cancer, but the association with ultrafine particulate matter (UFP; aerodynamic diameter < 0.1 μm) is unclear. Objectives: To investigate the association between UFP and lung cancer overall and by histologic subtype. Methods: The Los Angeles Ultrafines Study includes 45,012 participants aged ⩾50 years in southern California at enrollment (1995-1996) followed through 2017 for incident lung cancer (n = 1,770). We estimated historical residential ambient UFP number concentrations via land use regression and back extrapolation using PM2.5. In Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for smoking and other confounders, we estimated associations between 10-year lagged UFP (per 10,000 particles/cm3 and quartiles) and lung cancer overall and by major histologic subtype (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma). We also evaluated relationships by smoking status, birth cohort, and historical duration at the residence. Measurements and Main Results: UFP was modestly associated with lung cancer risk overall (hazard ratio [HR], 1.03 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.99-1.08]). For adenocarcinoma, we observed a positive trend among men; risk was increased in the highest exposure quartile versus the lowest (HR, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.05-1.85]; P for trend = 0.01) and was also increased in continuous models (HR per 10,000 particles/cm3, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.00-1.18]), but no increased risk was apparent among women (P for interaction = 0.03). Adenocarcinoma risk was elevated among men born between 1925 and 1930 (HR, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.02-1.26] per 10,000) but not for other birth cohorts, and was suggestive for men with ⩾10 years of residential duration (HR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.98-1.26]). We found no consistent associations for women or other histologic subtypes. Conclusions: UFP exposure was modestly associated with lung cancer overall, with stronger associations observed for adenocarcinoma of the lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena R. Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch and
| | | | - Sina Hasheminassab
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Neal D. Freedman
- Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Mary H. Ward
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch and
| | - Constantinos Sioutas
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; and
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gerard Hoek
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; and
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6
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White AJ, Fisher JA, Sweeney MR, Freedman ND, Kaufman JD, Silverman DT, Jones RR. Ambient fine particulate matter and breast cancer incidence in a large prospective US cohort. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:53-60. [PMID: 37691174 PMCID: PMC11045029 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been inconsistently associated with breast cancer incidence, however, few studies have considered historic exposure when levels were higher. METHODS Outdoor residential PM2.5 concentrations were estimated using a nationwide spatiotemporal model for women in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, a prospective cohort located in 6 states (California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) and 2 metropolitan areas (Atlanta, GA, and Detroit, MI) and enrolled in 1995-1996 (n = 196 905). Annual average PM2.5 concentrations were estimated for a 5-year historical period 10 years prior to enrollment (1980-1984). We used Cox regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and breast cancer incidence overall and by estrogen receptor status and catchment area. RESULTS With follow-up of participants through 2017, a total of 15 870 breast cancer cases were identified. A 10 ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 was statistically significantly associated with overall breast cancer incidence (HR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.13). The association was evident for estrogen receptor-positive (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.17) but not estrogen receptor-negative tumors (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.84 to 1.13; Pheterogeneity = .3). Overall breast cancer hazard ratios were more than 1 across the catchment areas, ranging from a hazard ratio of 1.26 (95% CI = 0.96 to 1.64) for North Carolina to a hazard ratio of 1.04 (95% CI = 0.68 to 1.57) for Louisiana (Pheterogeneity = .9). CONCLUSIONS In this large US cohort with historical air pollutant exposure estimates, PM2.5 was associated with risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. State-specific estimates were imprecise but suggest that future work should consider region-specific associations and the potential contribution of PM2.5 chemical constituency in modifying the observed association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra J White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jared A Fisher
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Marina R Sweeney
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc, a DLH Holdings Company, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Neal D Freedman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Debra T Silverman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Rena R Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
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7
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Blanco MN, Shaffer RM, Li G, Adar SD, Carone M, Szpiro AA, Kaufman JD, Larson TV, Hajat A, Larson EB, Crane PK, Sheppard L. Traffic-related air pollution and dementia incidence in the Adult Changes in Thought Study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 183:108418. [PMID: 38185046 PMCID: PMC10873482 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While epidemiologic evidence links higher levels of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) to decreased cognitive function, fewer studies have investigated links with traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), and none have examined ultrafine particles (UFP, ≤100 nm) and late-life dementia incidence. OBJECTIVE To evaluate associations between TRAP exposures (UFP, black carbon [BC], and nitrogen dioxide [NO2]) and late-life dementia incidence. METHODS We ascertained dementia incidence in the Seattle-based Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) prospective cohort study (beginning in 1994) and assessed ten-year average TRAP exposures for each participant based on prediction models derived from an extensive mobile monitoring campaign. We applied Cox proportional hazards models to investigate TRAP exposure and dementia incidence using age as the time axis and further adjusting for sex, self-reported race, calendar year, education, socioeconomic status, PM2.5, and APOE genotype. We ran sensitivity analyses where we did not adjust for PM2.5 and other sensitivity and secondary analyses where we adjusted for multiple pollutants, applied alternative exposure models (including total and size-specific UFP), modified the adjustment covariates, used calendar year as the time axis, assessed different exposure periods, dementia subtypes, and others. RESULTS We identified 1,041 incident all-cause dementia cases in 4,283 participants over 37,102 person-years of follow-up. We did not find evidence of a greater hazard of late-life dementia incidence with elevated levels of long-term TRAP exposures. The estimated hazard ratio of all-cause dementia was 0.98 (95 % CI: 0.92-1.05) for every 2000 pt/cm3 increment in UFP, 0.95 (0.89-1.01) for every 100 ng/m3 increment in BC, and 0.96 (0.91-1.02) for every 2 ppb increment in NO2. These findings were consistent across sensitivity and secondary analyses. DISCUSSION We did not find evidence of a greater hazard of late-life dementia risk with elevated long-term TRAP exposures in this population-based prospective cohort study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali N Blanco
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Rachel M Shaffer
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ge Li
- VA Northwest Network Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Virginia Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA; Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Virginia Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sara D Adar
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Marco Carone
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Adam A Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Timothy V Larson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anjum Hajat
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eric B Larson
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul K Crane
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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8
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Power MC, Bennett EE, Lynch KM, Stewart JD, Xu X, Park ES, Smith RL, Vizuete W, Margolis HG, Casanova R, Wallace R, Sheppard L, Ying Q, Serre ML, Szpiro AA, Chen JC, Liao D, Wellenius GA, van Donkelaar A, Yanosky JD, Whitsel E. Comparison of PM2.5 Air Pollution Exposures and Health Effects Associations Using 11 Different Modeling Approaches in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:17003. [PMID: 38226465 PMCID: PMC10790222 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many approaches to quantifying air pollution exposures have been developed. However, the impact of choice of approach on air pollution estimates and health-effects associations remains unclear. OBJECTIVES Our objective is to compare particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μ m (PM 2.5 ) concentrations and resulting health effects associations using multiple estimation approaches previously used in epidemiologic analyses. METHODS We assigned annual PM 2.5 exposure estimates from 1999 to 2004 derived from 11 different approaches to Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS) participant addresses within the contiguous US. Approaches included geostatistical interpolation approaches, land-use regression or spatiotemporal models, satellite-derived approaches, air dispersion and chemical transport models, and hybrid models. We used descriptive statistics and plots to assess relative and absolute agreement among exposure estimates and examined the impact of approach on associations between PM 2.5 and death due to natural causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and incident CVD events, adjusting for individual-level covariates and climate-based region. RESULTS With a few exceptions, relative agreement of approach-specific PM 2.5 exposure estimates was high for PM 2.5 concentrations across the contiguous US. Agreement among approach-specific exposure estimates was stronger near PM 2.5 monitors, in certain regions of the country, and in 2004 vs. 1999. Collectively, our results suggest but do not quantify lower agreement at local spatial scales for PM 2.5 . There was no evidence of large differences in health effects associations with PM 2.5 among estimation approaches in analyses adjusted for climate region. CONCLUSIONS Different estimation approaches produced similar spatial patterns of PM 2.5 concentrations across the contiguous US and in areas with dense monitoring data, and PM 2.5 -health effects associations were similar among estimation approaches. PM 2.5 estimates and PM 2.5 -health effects associations may differ more in samples drawn from smaller areas or areas without substantial monitoring data, or in analyses with finer adjustment for participant location. Our results can inform decisions about PM 2.5 estimation approach in epidemiologic studies, as investigators balance concerns about bias, efficiency, and resource allocation. Future work is needed to understand whether these conclusions also apply in the context of other air pollutants of interest. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12995.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda C. Power
- Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Erin E. Bennett
- Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Katie M. Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - James D. Stewart
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Eun Sug Park
- Texas A&M Transportation Institute, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Richard L. Smith
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Will Vizuete
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Helene G. Margolis
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California at Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Ramon Casanova
- Department of Biostatics and Data Science, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert Wallace
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle WA, USA
| | - Qi Ying
- Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Marc L. Serre
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Adam A. Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle WA, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Duanping Liao
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Gregory A. Wellenius
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering McKelvey School of Engineering, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jeff D. Yanosky
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Eric Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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9
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Liu R, Ma Z, Gasparrini A, de la Cruz A, Bi J, Chen K. Integrating Augmented In Situ Measurements and a Spatiotemporal Machine Learning Model To Back Extrapolate Historical Particulate Matter Pollution over the United Kingdom: 1980-2019. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:21605-21615. [PMID: 38085698 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Historical PM2.5 data are essential for assessing the health effects of air pollution exposure across the life course or early life. However, a lack of high-quality data sources, such as satellite-based aerosol optical depth before 2000, has resulted in a gap in spatiotemporally resolved PM2.5 data for historical periods. Taking the United Kingdom as an example, we leveraged the light gradient boosting model to capture the spatiotemporal association between PM2.5 concentrations and multi-source geospatial predictors. Augmented PM2.5 from PM10 measurements expanded the spatiotemporal representativeness of the ground measurements. Observations before and after 2009 were used to train and test the models, respectively. Our model showed fair prediction accuracy from 2010 to 2019 [the ranges of coefficients of determination (R2) for the grid-based cross-validation are 0.71-0.85] and commendable back extrapolation performance from 1998 to 2009 (the ranges of R2 for the independent external testing are 0.32-0.65) at the daily level. The pollution episodes in the 1980s and pollution levels in the 1990s were also reproduced by our model. The 4-decade PM2.5 estimates demonstrated that most regions in England witnessed significant downward trends in PM2.5 pollution. The methods developed in this study are generalizable to other data-rich regions for historical air pollution exposure assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, People's Republic of China
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Zongwei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Antonio Gasparrini
- Environment & Health Modelling (EHM) Lab, Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, United Kingdom
| | - Arturo de la Cruz
- Environment & Health Modelling (EHM) Lab, Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, United Kingdom
| | - Jun Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
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10
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Zhang B, Weuve J, Langa KM, D’Souza J, Szpiro A, Faul J, Mendes de Leon C, Gao J, Kaufman JD, Sheppard L, Lee J, Kobayashi LC, Hirth R, Adar SD. Comparison of Particulate Air Pollution From Different Emission Sources and Incident Dementia in the US. JAMA Intern Med 2023; 183:1080-1089. [PMID: 37578757 PMCID: PMC10425875 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.3300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Importance Emerging evidence indicates that exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution may increase dementia risk in older adults. Although this evidence suggests opportunities for intervention, little is known about the relative importance of PM2.5 from different emission sources. Objective To examine associations of long-term exposure of total and source-specific PM2.5 with incident dementia in older adults. Design, Setting, and Participants The Environmental Predictors of Cognitive Health and Aging study used biennial survey data from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2016, for participants in the Health and Retirement Study, which is a nationally representative, population-based cohort study in the US. The present cohort study included all participants older than 50 years who were without dementia at baseline and had available exposure, outcome, and demographic data between 1998 and 2016 (N = 27 857). Analyses were performed from January 31 to May 1, 2022. Exposures The 10-year mean total PM2.5 and PM2.5 from 9 emission sources at participant residences for each month during follow-up using spatiotemporal and chemical transport models. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was incident dementia as classified by a validated algorithm incorporating respondent-based cognitive testing and proxy respondent reports. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated for incident dementia per IQR of residential PM2.5 concentrations using time-varying, weighted Cox proportional hazards regression models with adjustment for the individual- and area-level risk factors. Results Among 27 857 participants (mean [SD] age, 61 [10] years; 15 747 [56.5%] female), 4105 (15%) developed dementia during a mean (SD) follow-up of 10.2 [5.6] years. Higher concentrations of total PM2.5 were associated with greater rates of incident dementia (HR, 1.08 per IQR; 95% CI, 1.01-1.17). In single pollutant models, PM2.5 from all sources, except dust, were associated with increased rates of dementia, with the strongest associations for agriculture, traffic, coal combustion, and wildfires. After control for PM2.5 from all other sources and copollutants, only PM2.5 from agriculture (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.27) and wildfires (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.08) were robustly associated with greater rates of dementia. Conclusion and Relevance In this cohort study, higher residential PM2.5 levels, especially from agriculture and wildfires, were associated with higher rates of incident dementia, providing further evidence supporting PM2.5 reduction as a population-based approach to promote healthy cognitive aging. These findings also indicate that intervening on key emission sources might have value, although more research is needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boya Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
| | - Jennifer Weuve
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth M. Langa
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jennifer D’Souza
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
| | - Adam Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Jessica Faul
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | | | - Jiaqi Gao
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Jinkook Lee
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Lindsay C. Kobayashi
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
| | - Richard Hirth
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Sara D. Adar
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
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11
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Ilango SD, Leary CS, Ritchie E, Semmens EO, Park C, Fitzpatrick AL, Kaufman JD, Hajat A. An Examination of the Joint Effect of the Social Environment and Air Pollution on Dementia Among US Older Adults. Environ Epidemiol 2023; 7:e250. [PMID: 37304341 PMCID: PMC10256342 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests exposure to air pollution increases the risk of dementia. Cognitively stimulating activities and social interactions, made available through the social environment, may slow cognitive decline. We examined whether the social environment buffers the adverse effect of air pollution on dementia in a cohort of older adults. Methods This study draws from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study. Participants aged 75 years and older were enrolled between 2000 and 2002 and evaluated for dementia semi-annually through 2008. Long-term exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide was assigned from spatial and spatiotemporal models. Census tract-level measures of the social environment and individual measures of social activity were used as measures of the social environment. We generated Cox proportional hazard models with census tract as a random effect and adjusted for demographic and study visit characteristics. Relative excess risk due to interaction was estimated as a qualitative measure of additive interaction. Results This study included 2,564 individuals. We observed associations between increased risk of dementia and fine particulate matter (µg/m3), coarse particulate matter (µg/m3), and nitrogen dioxide (ppb); HRs per 5 unit increase were 1.55 (1.01, 2.18), 1.31 (1.07, 1.60), and 1.18 (1.02, 1.37), respectively. We found no evidence of additive interaction between air pollution and the neighborhood social environment. Conclusions We found no consistent evidence to suggest a synergistic effect between exposure to air pollution and measures of the social environment. Given the many qualities of the social environment that may reduce dementia pathology, further examination is encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sindana D Ilango
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cindy S Leary
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Emily Ritchie
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Erin O Semmens
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Christina Park
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Annette L Fitzpatrick
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Family Medicine and Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Anjum Hajat
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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12
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Prada D, Rexrode K, Kalia V, Kooperberg C, Reiner A, Balasubramanian R, Wu HC, Miller G, Lonita-Laza I, Crandall C, Cantu-de-Leon D, Liao D, Yanosky J, Stewart J, Whitsel E, Baccarelli A. Metabolomic Evaluation of Air Pollution-related Bone Damage and Potential Mediation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2652887. [PMID: 37034583 PMCID: PMC10081369 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2652887/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Ambient air pollution has been associated with bone damage. However, no studies have evaluated the metabolomic response to air pollutants and its potential influence on bone health in postmenopausal women. We analyzed data from WHI participants with plasma samples. Whole-body, total hip, femoral neck, and spine BMD at enrollment and follow-up (Y1, Y3, Y6). Daily particulate matter NO, NO2, PM10 and SO2 were averaged over 1-, 3-, and 5-year periods before metabolomic assessments. Statistical analyses included multivariable-adjusted linear mixed models, pathways analyses, and mediation modeling. NO, NO2, and SO2, but not PM10, were associated with taurine, inosine, and C38:4 phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), at all averaging periods. We found a partial mediation of C38:4 PE in the association between 1-year average NO and lumbar spine BMD (p-value: 0.032). This is the first study suggesting that a PE may partially mediate air pollution-related bone damage in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jeff Yanosky
- Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
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13
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Prada D, Crandall CJ, Kupsco A, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Stewart JD, Liao D, Yanosky JD, Ramirez A, Wactawski-Wende J, Shen Y, Miller G, Ionita-Laza I, Whitsel EA, Baccarelli AA. Air pollution and decreased bone mineral density among Women's Health Initiative participants. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 57:101864. [PMID: 36820096 PMCID: PMC9938170 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Osteoporosis heavily affects postmenopausal women and is influenced by environmental exposures. Determining the impact of criteria air pollutants and their mixtures on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women is an urgent priority. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study using data from the ethnically diverse Women's Health Initiative Study (WHI) (enrollment, September 1994-December 1998; data analysis, January 2020 to August 2022). We used log-normal, ordinary kriging to estimate daily mean concentrations of PM10, NO, NO2, and SO2 at participants' geocoded addresses (1-, 3-, and 5-year averages before BMD assessments). We measured whole-body, total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine BMD at enrollment and follow-up (Y1, Y3, Y6) via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We estimated associations using multivariable linear and linear mixed-effects models and mixture effects using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models. Findings In cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, mean PM10, NO, NO2, and SO2 averaged over 1, 3, and 5 years before the visit were negatively associated with whole-body, total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine BMD. For example, lumbar spine BMD decreased 0.026 (95% CI: 0.016, 0.036) g/cm2/year per a 10% increase in 3-year mean NO2 concentration. BKMR suggested that nitrogen oxides exposure was inversely associated with whole-body and lumbar spine BMD. Interpretation In this cohort study, higher levels of air pollutants were associated with bone damage, particularly on lumbar spine, among postmenopausal women. These findings highlight nitrogen oxides exposure as a leading contributor to bone loss in postmenopausal women, expanding previous findings of air pollution-related bone damage. Funding US National Institutes of Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diddier Prada
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología – México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carolyn J. Crandall
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Allison Kupsco
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - James D. Stewart
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Duanping Liao
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Jeff D. Yanosky
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Andrea Ramirez
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología – México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jean Wactawski-Wende
- School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - Yike Shen
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gary Miller
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Iuliana Ionita-Laza
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric A. Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health and Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Andrea A. Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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14
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Hajat A, Park C, Adam C, Fitzpatrick AL, Ilango SD, Leary C, Libby T, Lopez O, Semmens EO, Kaufman JD. Air pollution and plasma amyloid beta in a cohort of older adults: Evidence from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 172:107800. [PMID: 36773564 PMCID: PMC9974914 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), but the mechanisms connecting air pollution to ADRD have not been firmly established. Air pollution may cause oxidative stress and neuroinflammation and contribute to the deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain. We examined the association between fine particulate matter<2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), particulate matter<10 μm in diameter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and plasma based measures of Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42 and Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 using data from 3044 dementia-free participants of the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study (GEMS). Air pollution exposures were estimated at residential addresses that incorporated address histories dating back to 1980, resulting in one-, five-, 10- and 20- year exposure averages. Aβ was measured at baseline (2000-2002) and then again at the end of the study (2007-2008) allowing for linear regression models to assess cross-sectional associations and linear random effects models to evaluate repeated measures. After adjustment for socio-demographic and behavioral covariates, we found small positive associations between each air pollutant and Aβ1-40 but no association with Aβ1-42 or the ratio measures in cross sectional analysis. In repeat measures analysis, we found larger positive associations between each air pollutant and all three outcomes. We observed a 4.43% (95% CI 3.26%, 5.60%) higher Aβ1-40 level, 9.73% (6.20%, 13.38%) higher Aβ1-42 and 1.57% (95% CI: 0.94%, 2.20%) higher Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 ratio associated with a 2 µg/m3 higher 20-year average PM2.5. Associations with other air pollutants were similar. Our study contributes to the broader evidence base on air pollution and ADRD biomarkers by evaluating longer air pollution exposure averaging periods to better mimic disease progression and provides a modifiable target for ADRD prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjum Hajat
- University of Washington, Department of Epidemiology, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Christina Park
- University of Washington, Department of Epidemiology, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Claire Adam
- University of Montana, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, Skaggs Building, 32 Campus Drive Missola, MT 59812, USA
| | - Annette L Fitzpatrick
- University of Washington, Department of Family Medicine, 4225 Roosevelt Ave NE Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sindana D Ilango
- University of Washington, Department of Epidemiology, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Cindy Leary
- University of Montana, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, Skaggs Building, 32 Campus Drive Missola, MT 59812, USA
| | - Tanya Libby
- University of Washington, Department of Epidemiology, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Oscar Lopez
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Neurology, 811 Kaufmann Medical Building, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15123, USA
| | - Erin O Semmens
- University of Montana, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, Skaggs Building, 32 Campus Drive Missola, MT 59812, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Epidemiology, 4225 Roosevelt Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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15
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Semmens EO, Leary CS, Fitzpatrick AL, Ilango SD, Park C, Adam CE, DeKosky ST, Lopez O, Hajat A, Kaufman JD. Air pollution and dementia in older adults in the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:549-559. [PMID: 35436383 PMCID: PMC9576823 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Growing evidence implicates air pollution as a risk factor for dementia, but prior work is limited by challenges in diagnostic accuracy and assessing exposures in the decades prior to disease development. We evaluated the impact of long-term fine particulate matter (PM2.5 ) exposures on incident dementia (all-cause, Alzheimer's disease [AD], and vascular dementia [VaD]) in older adults. METHODS A panel of neurologists adjudicated dementia cases based on extensive neuropsychological testing and magnetic resonance imaging. We applied validated fine-scale air pollutant models to reconstructed residential histories to assess exposures. RESULTS An interquartile range increase in 20-year PM2.5 was associated with a 20% higher risk of dementia (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5%, 37%) and an increased risk of mixed VaD/AD but not AD alone. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that air pollutant exposures over decades contribute to dementia and that effects of current exposures may be experienced years into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin O. Semmens
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Cindy S. Leary
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Annette L. Fitzpatrick
- Departments of Family Medicine and Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sindana D. Ilango
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christina Park
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Claire E. Adam
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Steven T. DeKosky
- Department of Neurology and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Oscar Lopez
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Anjum Hajat
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Departments of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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16
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Tsai SS, Chen CC, Yang CY. The impacts of reduction in ambient fine particulate (PM 2.5) air pollution on life expectancy in Taiwan. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2022; 85:913-920. [PMID: 35993974 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2022.2110343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fine particulate matter, particles less than 2.5 um in diameter (PM2.5), is an important environmental human health factor to consider. The long- and short-term influence of PM2.5 on health has been extensively studied in relation to many health outcomes, although few investigations examined the consequences of chronic ambient PM2.5 on life expectancy, which constitutes an important gauge of public human health status. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of reducing ambient PM2.5 levels in Taiwan on life expectancy there from 2000 to 2020. Officially reported island-wide annually average concentrations of ambient PM2.5, county-level life expectancies, and demographic and socioeconomic and proxy variable were collected for the prevalence of smoking from various national public agencies and organizations, since variables these might potentially confound life expectancy results. The relationship between changes in ambient PM2.5 levels and life expectancy were determined using linear regression. Data demonstrated that counties with greater reductions in ambient PM2.5 concentrations were associated with higher life expectancies. Adjusting for alterations in demographic and socioeconomic variables and proxy parameter, the prevalence of smoking data from a multiple regression model, it was found that a 0.3-year rise in life expectancy was noted for each 10 ug/m3 decrease in PM2.5 in those counties. Our findings show that reducing ambient PM2.5 levels play an important role for prolongation of life expectancy in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang-Shyue Tsai
- Department of Healthcare Administration, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Cheng Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang- Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Yuh Yang
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institute, Miaoli, Taiwan
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17
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Iyer HS, Hart JE, Fiffer MR, Elliott EG, Yanosky JD, Kaufman JD, Puett RC, Laden F. Impacts of long-term ambient particulate matter and gaseous pollutants on circulating biomarkers of inflammation in male and female health professionals. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:113810. [PMID: 35798268 PMCID: PMC10234694 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic inflammation may serve as a biological mechanism linking air pollution to poor health but supporting evidence from studies of long-term pollutant exposure and inflammatory cytokines is inconsistent. OBJECTIVE We studied associations between multiple particulate matter (PM) and gaseous air pollutants and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines within two nationwide cohorts of men and women. METHODS Data were obtained from 16,151 women in the Nurses' Health Study and 7,930 men in the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study with at least one measure of circulating adiponectin, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) or soluble tumor necrosis-factor receptor-2 (sTNFR-2). Exposure to PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5, 2.5-10, and ≤10 μm (PM2.5, PM2.5-10, PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was estimated using spatio-temporal models and were linked to participants' addresses at the time of blood draw. Averages of the 1-, 3-, and 12-months prior to blood draw were examined. Associations between each biomarker and pollutant were estimated from linear regression models adjusted for individual and contextual covariates. RESULTS In adjusted models, we observed a 2.72% (95% CI: 0.43%, 5.95%), 3.11% (-0.12%, 6.45%), and 3.67% (0.19%, 7.26%) increase in CRP associated with a 10 μg/m3 increase in 1-, 3-, and 12- month averaged NO2 in women. Among men, there was a statistically significant 5.96% (95% CI: 0.07%, 12.20%), 6.99% (95% CI: 0.29%, 14.15%), and 8.33% (95% CI: 0.35%, 16.94%) increase in CRP associated with a 10 μg/m3 increase in 1-, 3-, and 12-month averaged PM2.5-10, respectively. Increasing PM2.5-10 was associated with increasing IL-6 and sTNFR-2 among men over shorter exposure durations. There were no associations with exposures to PM2.5 or PM10, or with adiponectin. Findings were robust to sensitivity analyses restricting to disease-free controls and non-movers. CONCLUSIONS Across multiple long-term pollutant exposures and inflammatory markers, associations were generally weak. Focusing on specific pollutant-inflammatory mechanisms may clarify pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hari S Iyer
- Division of Population Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA.
| | - Jaime E Hart
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Melissa R Fiffer
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Elise G Elliott
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA; Health Effects Institute, Boston, USA
| | - Jeff D Yanosky
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Robin C Puett
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Francine Laden
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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18
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Bi J, Zuidema C, Clausen D, Kirwa K, Young MT, Gassett AJ, Seto EYW, Sampson PD, Larson TV, Szpiro AA, Sheppard L, Kaufman JD. Within-City Variation in Ambient Carbon Monoxide Concentrations: Leveraging Low-Cost Monitors in a Spatiotemporal Modeling Framework. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:97008. [PMID: 36169978 PMCID: PMC9518741 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Based on human and animal experimental studies, exposure to ambient carbon monoxide (CO) may be associated with cardiovascular disease outcomes, but epidemiological evidence of this link is limited. The number and distribution of ground-level regulatory agency monitors are insufficient to characterize fine-scale variations in CO concentrations. OBJECTIVES To develop a daily, high-resolution ambient CO exposure prediction model at the city scale. METHODS We developed a CO prediction model in Baltimore, Maryland, based on a spatiotemporal statistical algorithm with regulatory agency monitoring data and measurements from calibrated low-cost gas monitors. We also evaluated the contribution of three novel parameters to model performance: high-resolution meteorological data, satellite remote sensing data, and copollutant (PM2.5, NO2, and NOx) concentrations. RESULTS The CO model had spatial cross-validation (CV) R2 and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.70 and 0.02 parts per million (ppm), respectively; the model had temporal CV R2 and RMSE of 0.61 and 0.04 ppm, respectively. The predictions revealed spatially resolved CO hot spots associated with population, traffic, and other nonroad emission sources (e.g., railroads and airport), as well as sharp concentration decreases within short distances from primary roads. DISCUSSION The three novel parameters did not substantially improve model performance, suggesting that, on its own, our spatiotemporal modeling framework based on geographic features was reliable and robust. As low-cost air monitors become increasingly available, this approach to CO concentration modeling can be generalized to resource-restricted environments to facilitate comprehensive epidemiological research. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10889.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhao Bi
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher Zuidema
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David Clausen
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kipruto Kirwa
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michael T. Young
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Amanda J. Gassett
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Edmund Y. W. Seto
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Paul D. Sampson
- Department of Statistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Timothy V. Larson
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Adam A. Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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19
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McAlexander TP, De Silva SSA, Meeker MA, Long DL, McClure LA. Evaluation of associations between estimates of particulate matter exposure and new onset type 2 diabetes in the REGARDS cohort. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:563-570. [PMID: 34657127 PMCID: PMC9012798 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00391-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of PM2.5 and type 2 diabetes employ differing methods for exposure assignment, which could explain inconsistencies in this growing literature. We hypothesized associations between PM2.5 and new onset type 2 diabetes would differ by PM2.5 exposure data source, duration, and community type. METHODS We identified participants of the US-based REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort who were free of diabetes at baseline (2003-2007); were geocoded at their residence; and had follow-up diabetes information. We assigned PM2.5 exposure estimates to participants for periods of 1 year prior to baseline using three data sources, and 2 years prior to baseline for two of these data sources. We evaluated adjusted odds of new onset diabetes per 5 µg/m3 increases in PM2.5 using generalized estimating equations with a binomial distribution and logit link, stratified by community type. RESULTS Among 11,208 participants, 1,409 (12.6%) had diabetes at follow-up. We observed no associations between PM2.5 and diabetes in higher and lower density urban communities, but within suburban/small town and rural communities, increases of 5 µg/m3 PM2.5 for 2 years (Downscaler model) were associated with diabetes (OR [95% CI] = 1.65 [1.09, 2.51], 1.56 [1.03, 2.36], respectively). Associations were consistent in direction and magnitude for all three PM2.5 sources evaluated. SIGNIFICANCE 1- and 2-year durations of PM2.5 exposure estimates were associated with higher odds of incident diabetes in suburban/small town and rural communities, regardless of exposure data source. Associations within urban communities might be obfuscated by place-based confounding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara P McAlexander
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - S Shanika A De Silva
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Melissa A Meeker
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - D Leann Long
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Leslie A McClure
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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20
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Bennett EE, Lynch KM, Xu X, Park ES, Ying Q, Wei J, Smith RL, Stewart JD, Whitsel EA, Power MC. Characteristics of movers and predictors of residential mobility in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. Health Place 2022; 74:102771. [PMID: 35247797 PMCID: PMC9004423 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Current efforts to characterize movers and identify predictors of moving have been limited. We used the ARIC cohort to characterize non-movers, short-distance movers, and long-distance movers, and employed best subset algorithms to identify important predictors of moving, including interactions between characteristics. Short- and long-distance movers were notably different from non-movers, and important predictors of moving differed based on the distance of the residential move. Importantly, systematic inclusion of interaction terms enhanced model fit and was substantively meaningful. This work has important implications for epidemiologic studies of contextual exposures and those treating residential mobility as an exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Bennett
- Department of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Katie M Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Eun Sug Park
- Texas A&M Transportation Institute, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Qi Ying
- Zachry Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jingkai Wei
- Department of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Richard L Smith
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - James D Stewart
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Eric A Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Melinda C Power
- Department of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA
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21
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Younan D, Wang X, Millstein J, Petkus AJ, Beavers DP, Espeland MA, Chui HC, Resnick SM, Gatz M, Kaufman JD, Wellenius GA, Whitsel EA, Manson JE, Rapp SR, Chen JC. Air quality improvement and cognitive decline in community-dwelling older women in the United States: A longitudinal cohort study. PLoS Med 2022; 19:e1003893. [PMID: 35113870 PMCID: PMC8812844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Late-life exposure to ambient air pollution is a modifiable risk factor for dementia, but epidemiological studies have shown inconsistent evidence for cognitive decline. Air quality (AQ) improvement has been associated with improved cardiopulmonary health and decreased mortality, but to the best of our knowledge, no studies have examined the association with cognitive function. We examined whether AQ improvement was associated with slower rate of cognitive decline in older women aged 74 to 92 years. METHODS AND FINDINGS We studied a cohort of 2,232 women residing in the 48 contiguous US states that were recruited from more than 40 study sites located in 24 states and Washington, DC from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Memory Study (WHIMS)-Epidemiology of Cognitive Health Outcomes (WHIMS-ECHO) study. They were predominantly non-Hispanic White women and were dementia free at baseline in 2008 to 2012. Measures of annual (2008 to 2018) cognitive function included the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICSm) and the telephone-based California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). We used regionalized universal kriging models to estimate annual concentrations (1996 to 2012) of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at residential locations. Estimates were aggregated to the 3-year average immediately preceding (recent exposure) and 10 years prior to (remote exposure) WHIMS-ECHO enrollment. Individual-level improved AQ was calculated as the reduction from remote to recent exposures. Linear mixed effect models were used to examine the associations between improved AQ and the rates of cognitive declines in TICSm and CVLT trajectories, adjusting for sociodemographic (age; geographic region; race/ethnicity; education; income; and employment), lifestyle (physical activity; smoking; and alcohol), and clinical characteristics (prior hormone use; hormone therapy assignment; depression; cardiovascular disease (CVD); hypercholesterolemia; hypertension; diabetes; and body mass index [BMI]). For both PM2.5 and NO2, AQ improved significantly over the 10 years before WHIMS-ECHO enrollment. During a median of 6.2 (interquartile range [IQR] = 5.0) years of follow-up, declines in both general cognitive status (β = -0.42/year, 95% CI: -0.44, -0.40) and episodic memory (β = -0.59/year, 95% CI: -0.64, -0.54) were observed. Greater AQ improvement was associated with slower decline in TICSm (βPM2.5improvement = 0.026 per year for improved PM2.5 by each IQR = 1.79 μg/m3 reduction, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.05; βNO2improvement = 0.034 per year for improved NO2 by each IQR = 3.92 parts per billion [ppb] reduction, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.06) and CVLT (βPM2.5 improvement = 0.070 per year for improved PM2.5 by each IQR = 1.79 μg/m3 reduction, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.12; βNO2improvement = 0.060 per year for improved NO2 by each IQR = 3.97 ppb reduction, 95% CI: 0.005, 0.12) after adjusting for covariates. The respective associations with TICSm and CVLT were equivalent to the slower decline rate found with 0.9 to 1.2 and1.4 to 1.6 years of younger age and did not significantly differ by age, region, education, Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) e4 genotypes, or cardiovascular risk factors. The main limitations of this study include measurement error in exposure estimates, potential unmeasured confounding, and limited generalizability. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found that greater improvement in long-term AQ in late life was associated with slower cognitive declines in older women. This novel observation strengthens the epidemiologic evidence of an association between air pollution and cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Younan
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Joshua Millstein
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Petkus
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel P. Beavers
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Espeland
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Helena C. Chui
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Susan M. Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Margaret Gatz
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, Medicine, and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Gregory A. Wellenius
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Eric A. Whitsel
- Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - JoAnn E. Manson
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Stephen R. Rapp
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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22
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Wang X, Younan D, Millstein J, Petkus AJ, Garcia E, Beavers DP, Espeland MA, Chui HC, Resnick SM, Gatz M, Kaufman JD, Wellenius GA, Whitsel EA, Manson JE, Rapp SR, Chen JC. Association of improved air quality with lower dementia risk in older women. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2107833119. [PMID: 34983871 PMCID: PMC8764698 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107833119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Late-life ambient air pollution is a risk factor for brain aging, but it remains unknown if improved air quality (AQ) lowers dementia risk. We studied a geographically diverse cohort of older women dementia free at baseline in 2008 to 2012 (n = 2,239, aged 74 to 92). Incident dementia was centrally adjudicated annually. Yearly mean concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were estimated using regionalized national universal kriging models and averaged over the 3-y period before baseline (recent exposure) and 10 y earlier (remote exposure). Reduction from remote to recent exposures was used as the indicator of improved AQ. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) for dementia risk associated with AQ measures were estimated, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics. We identified 398 dementia cases during follow up (median = 6.1 y). PM2.5 and NO2 reduced significantly over the 10 y before baseline. Larger AQ improvement was associated with reduced dementia risks (HRPM2.5 0.80 per 1.78 μg/m3, 95% CI 0.71-0.91; HRNO2 0.80 per 3.91 parts per billion, 95% CI 0.71-0.90), equivalent to the lower risk observed in women 2.4 y younger at baseline. Higher PM2.5 at baseline was associated with higher dementia risk (HRPM2.5 1.16 per 2.90 μg/m3, 95% CI 0.98-1.38), but the lower dementia risk associated with improved AQ remained after further adjusting for recent exposure. The observed associations did not substantially differ by age, education, geographic region, Apolipoprotein E e4 genotypes, or cardiovascular risk factors. Long-term AQ improvement in late life was associated with lower dementia risk in older women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhui Wang
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033
| | - Diana Younan
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032;
| | - Joshua Millstein
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032
| | - Andrew J Petkus
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033
| | - Erika Garcia
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032
| | - Daniel P Beavers
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Mark A Espeland
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Helena C Chui
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Margaret Gatz
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | | | - Eric A Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
- Department of Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
| | - JoAnn E Manson
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Stephen R Rapp
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033;
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032
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23
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Jang H, Kim W, Cho J, Sohn J, Noh J, Seo G, Lee SK, Noh Y, Oh SS, Koh SB, Kim HJ, Seo SW, Kim HH, Lee JI, Kim SY, Kim C. Cohort Profile: The Environmental-Pollution-Induced Neurological EFfects (EPINEF) study, a multicenter cohort study of Korean adults. Epidemiol Health 2021; 43:e2021067. [PMID: 34607405 PMCID: PMC8689119 DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2021067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The general population is exposed to numerous environmental pollutants, and it remains unclear which pollutants affect the brain, accelerating brain aging and increasing the risk of dementia. The Environmental-Pollution-Induced Neurological Effects study is a multi-city prospective cohort study aiming to comprehensively investigate the effect of different environmental pollutants on brain structures, neuropsychological function, and the development of dementia in adults. The baseline data of 3,775 healthy elderly people were collected from August 2014 to March 2018. The eligibility criteria were age ≥50 years and no self-reported history of dementia, movement disorders, or stroke. The assessment included demographics and anthropometrics, laboratory test results, and individual levels of exposure to air pollution. A neuroimaging sub-cohort was also recruited with 1,022 participants during the same period, and brain magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological tests were conducted. The first follow-up environmental pollutant measurements will start in 2022 and the follow-up for the sub-cohort will be conducted every 3-4 years. We have found that subtle structural changes in the brain may be induced by exposure to airborne pollutants such as particulate matter 10 μm or less in diameter (PM10), particulate matter 2.5 μm or less in diameter (PM2.5) and Mn10, manganese in PM10; Mn2.5, manganese in PM2.5. PM10, PM2.5, and nitrogen dioxide in healthy adults. This study provides a basis for research involving large-scale, long-term neuroimaging assessments in community-based populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heeseon Jang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Public Health, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, Korea
| | - Woojin Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jaelim Cho
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Institute of Human Complexity and Systems Science, Yonsei University, Incheon, Korea.,Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jungwoo Sohn
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Juhwan Noh
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Gayoung Seo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung-Koo Lee
- Department of Radiology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Noh
- Department of Neurology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Sung Soo Oh
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea
| | - Sang-Baek Koh
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea
| | - Hee Jin Kim
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Won Seo
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ho Hyun Kim
- Department of Information, Communication and Technology Convergence. ICT Environment Convergence, Pyeongtaek University, Pyeongtaek, Korea
| | - Jung Il Lee
- Korea Testing & Research Institute, Gwacheon, Korea
| | - Sun-Young Kim
- Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Changsoo Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Institute of Human Complexity and Systems Science, Yonsei University, Incheon, Korea
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24
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Kim SY, Pope AC, Marshall JD, Fann N, Sheppard L. Reanalysis of the association between reduction in long-term PM 2.5 concentrations and improved life expectancy. Environ Health 2021; 20:102. [PMID: 34517898 PMCID: PMC8439090 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00785-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Much of the current evidence of associations between long-term PM2.5 and health outcomes relies on national or regional analyses using exposures derived directly from regulatory monitoring data. These findings could be affected by limited spatial coverage of monitoring data, particularly for time periods before spatially extensive monitoring began in the late 1990s. For instance, Pope et al. (2009) showed that between 1980 and 2000 a 10 μg/m3 reduction in PM2.5 was associated with an average 0.61 year (standard error (SE) = 0.20) longer life expectancy. That analysis used 1979-1983 averages of PM2.5 across 51 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) computed from about 130 monitoring sites. Our reanalysis re-examines this association using modeled PM2.5 in order to assess population- or spatially-representative exposure. We hypothesized that modeled PM2.5 with finer spatial resolution provides more accurate health effect estimates compared to limited monitoring data. METHODS We used the same data for life expectancy and confounders, as well as the same analysis models, and investigated the same 211 continental U.S. counties, as Pope et al. (2009). For modeled PM2.5, we relied on a previously-developed point prediction model based on regulatory monitoring data for 1999-2015 and back-extrapolation to 1979. Using this model, we predicted annual average concentrations at centroids of all 72,271 census tracts and 12,501 25-km national grid cells covering the contiguous U.S., to represent population and space, respectively. We averaged these predictions to the county for the two time periods (1979-1983 and 1999-2000), whereas the original analysis used MSA averages given limited monitoring data. Finally, we estimated regression coefficients for PM2.5 reduction on life expectancy improvement over the two periods, adjusting for area-level confounders. RESULTS A 10 μg/m3 decrease in modeled PM2.5 based on census tract and national grid predictions was associated with 0.69 (standard error (SE) = 0.31) and 0.81 (0.29) -year increases in life expectancy. These estimates are higher than the estimate of Pope et al. (2009); they also have larger SEs likely because of smaller variability in exposure predictions, a standard property of regression. Two sets of effect estimates, however, had overlapping confidence intervals. CONCLUSIONS Our approach for estimating population- and spatially-representative PM2.5 concentrations based on census tract and national grid predictions, respectively, provided generally consistent findings to the original findings using limited monitoring data. This finding lends additional support to the evidence that reduced fine particulate matter contributes to extended life expectancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun-Young Kim
- Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi Korea
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Arden C. Pope
- Department of Economics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT USA
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Neal Fann
- Office of Air Quality, Planning and Standards, US Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, Durham, NC USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
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25
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Wang X, Younan D, Petkus AJ, Beavers DP, Espeland MA, Chui HC, Resnick SM, Gatz M, Kaufman JD, Wellenius GA, Whitsel EA, Manson JE, Chen JC. Ambient Air Pollution and Long-Term Trajectories of Episodic Memory Decline among Older Women in the WHIMS-ECHO Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:97009. [PMID: 34516296 PMCID: PMC8437247 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Episodic memory decline varies by age and underlying neuropathology. Whether ambient air pollution contributes to the heterogeneity of episodic memory decline in older populations remains unclear. OBJECTIVES We estimated associations between air pollution exposures and episodic memory decline according to pollutant, exposure time window, age, and latent class subgroups defined by episodic memory trajectories. METHODS Participants were from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study-Epidemiology of Cognitive Health Outcomes. Older women (n = 2,056 ; 74-92 years of age) completed annual (2008-2018) episodic memory assessments using the telephone-based California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). We estimated 3-y average fine particulate matter [PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 2.5 μ m (PM 2.5 )] and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) exposures at baseline and 10 y earlier (recent and remote exposures, respectively), using regionalized national universal kriging. Separate latent class mixed models were used to estimate associations between interquartile range increases in exposures and CVLT trajectories in women ≤ 80 and > 80 years of age , adjusting for covariates. RESULTS Two latent classes were identified for women ≤ 80 years of age (n = 828 ), "slow-decliners" {slope = - 0.12 / y [95% confidence interval (CI): - 0.23 , - 0.01 ] and "fast-decliners" [slope = - 1.79 / y (95% CI: - 2.08 , - 1.50 )]}. In the slow-decliner class, but not the fast-decliner class, PM 2.5 exposures were associated with a greater decline in CVLT scores over time, with a stronger association for recent vs. remote exposures [- 0.16 / y (95% CI: - 2.08 , - 0.03 ) per 2.88 μ g / m 3 and - 0.11 / y (95% CI: - 0.22 , 0.01) per 3.27 μ g / m 3 , respectively]. Among women ≥ 80 years of age (n = 1,128 ), the largest latent class comprised "steady-decliners" [slope = - 1.35 / y (95% CI: - 1.53 , - 1.17 )], whereas the second class, "cognitively resilient", had no decline in CVLT on average. PM 2.5 was not associated with episodic memory decline in either class. A 6.25 -ppb increase in recent NO 2 was associated with nonsignificant acceleration of episodic memory decline in the ≤ 80 -y-old fast-decliner class [- 0.21 / y (95% CI: - 0.45 , 0.04)], and in the > 80 -y-old cognitively resilient class [- 0.10 / y (95% CI: - 0.24 , 0.03)] and steady-decliner class [- 0.11 / y (95% CI: - 0.27 , 0.05)]. Associations with recent NO 2 exposure in women > 80 years of age were stronger and statistically significant when 267 women with incident probable dementia were excluded [e.g., - 0.12 / y (95% CI: - 0.22 , - 0.02 ) for the cognitively resilient class]. In contrast with changes in CVLT over time, there were no associations between exposures and CVLT scores during follow-up in any subgroup. DISCUSSION In a community-dwelling U.S. population of older women, associations between late-life exposure to ambient air pollution and episodic memory decline varied by age-related cognitive trajectories, exposure time windows, and pollutants. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7668.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhui Wang
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Diana Younan
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew J. Petkus
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Daniel P. Beavers
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mark A. Espeland
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Helena C. Chui
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Susan M. Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Margaret Gatz
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, Medicine (General Internal Medicine), and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Gregory A. Wellenius
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eric A. Whitsel
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - JoAnn E. Manson
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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26
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Kirwa K, Szpiro AA, Sheppard L, Sampson PD, Wang M, Keller JP, Young MT, Kim SY, Larson TV, Kaufman JD. Fine-Scale Air Pollution Models for Epidemiologic Research: Insights From Approaches Developed in the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air). Curr Environ Health Rep 2021; 8:113-126. [PMID: 34086258 PMCID: PMC8278964 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-021-00310-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epidemiological studies of short- and long-term health impacts of ambient air pollutants require accurate exposure estimates. We describe the evolution in exposure assessment and assignment in air pollution epidemiology, with a focus on spatiotemporal techniques first developed to meet the needs of the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air). Initially designed to capture the substantial variation in pollutant levels and potential health impacts that can occur over small spatial and temporal scales in metropolitan areas, these methods have now matured to permit fine-scale exposure characterization across the contiguous USA and can be used for understanding long- and short-term health effects of exposure across the lifespan. For context, we highlight how the MESA Air models compare to other available exposure models. RECENT FINDINGS Newer model-based exposure assessment techniques provide predictions of pollutant concentrations with fine spatial and temporal resolution. These validated models can predict concentrations of several pollutants, including particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen, and ozone, at specific locations (such as at residential addresses) over short time intervals (such as 2 weeks) across the contiguous USA between 1980 and the present. Advances in statistical methods, incorporation of supplemental pollutant monitoring campaigns, improved geographic information systems, and integration of more complete satellite and chemical transport model outputs have contributed to the increasing validity and refined spatiotemporal spans of available models. Modern models for predicting levels of outdoor concentrations of air pollutants can explain a substantial amount of the spatiotemporal variation in observations and are being used to provide critical insights into effects of air pollutants on the prevalence, incidence, progression, and prognosis of diseases across the lifespan. Additional enhancements in model inputs and model design, such as incorporation of better traffic data, novel monitoring platforms, and deployment of machine learning techniques, will allow even further improvements in the performance of pollutant prediction models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kipruto Kirwa
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Adam A Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Departments of Biostatistics and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul D Sampson
- Department of Statistics, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions Research and Education in Energy, Environment and Water Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Joshua P Keller
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael T Young
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sun-Young Kim
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Timothy V Larson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Departments of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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27
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Araki S, Shima M, Yamamoto K. Estimating historical PM 2.5 exposures for three decades (1987-2016) in Japan using measurements of associated air pollutants and land use regression. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 263:114476. [PMID: 33618487 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Accurate estimation of historical PM2.5 exposures for epidemiological studies is challenging when extensive monitoring data are limited in duration. Here, we develop a national-scale PM2.5 exposure model for Japan using measurements recorded between 2014 and 2016 to estimate monthly means for 1987 through 2016. Our objective is to obtain accurate PM2.5 estimates for years prior to implementation of extensive PM2.5 monitoring, using observations from a limited period. We utilize a neural network to convey the non-linear relationship between the target pollutant and predictors, while incorporating the associated air pollutants. We obtain high R2 values of 0.76 and 0.73 through spatial and temporal cross validation, respectively. We evaluate estimation accuracy using an independent data set and achieve an R2 of 0.75. Moreover, monthly variations for 2000-2013 are well reproduced with correlation coefficients of greater than 0.78, obtained through a comparison with observations. We estimate monthly means at 1 × 1 km resolution from 1987 through 2016. The estimates show decreases in the area and population weighted means beginning in the 1990s. We successfully estimate monthly mean PM2.5 concentrations over three decades with outstanding predictive accuracy. Our findings illustrate that the presented approach achieves accurate long-term historical estimations using observations limited in duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Araki
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 2-1, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Masayuki Shima
- Department of Public Health, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawa-cho 1-1, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan
| | - Kouhei Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
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28
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Hayes RB, Lim C, Zhang Y, Cromar K, Shao Y, Reynolds HR, Silverman DT, Jones RR, Park Y, Jerrett M, Ahn J, Thurston GD. PM2.5 air pollution and cause-specific cardiovascular disease mortality. Int J Epidemiol 2020; 49:25-35. [PMID: 31289812 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyz114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ambient air pollution is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, yet uncertainty remains about the size of risks at lower levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure which now occur in the USA and elsewhere. METHODS We investigated the relationship of ambient PM2.5 exposure with cause-specific cardiovascular disease mortality in 565 477 men and women, aged 50 to 71 years, from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. During 7.5 x 106 person-years of follow up, 41 286 cardiovascular disease deaths, including 23 328 ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and 5894 stroke deaths, were ascertained using the National Death Index. PM2.5 was estimated using a hybrid land use regression (LUR) geostatistical model. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Each increase of 10 μg/m3 PM2.5 (overall range, 2.9-28.0 μg/m3) was associated, in fully adjusted models, with a 16% increase in mortality from ischaemic heart disease [hazard ratio (HR) 1.16; 95% CI 1.09-1.22] and a 14% increase in mortality from stroke (HR 1.14; CI 1.02-1.27). Compared with PM2.5 exposure <8 μg/m3 (referent), risks for CVD were increased in relation to PM2.5 exposures in the range of 8-12 μg/m3 (CVD: HR 1.04; 95% CI 1.00-1.08), in the range 12-20 μg/m3 (CVD: HR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03-1.13) and in the range 20+ μg/m3 (CVD: HR 1.19; 95% CI 1.10-1.28). Results were robust to alternative approaches to PM2.5 exposure assessment and statistical analysis. CONCLUSIONS Long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution is associated with ischaemic heart disease and stroke mortality, with excess risks occurring in the range of and below the present US long-term standard for ambient exposure to PM2.5 (12 µg/m3), indicating the need for continued improvements in air pollution abatement for CVD prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard B Hayes
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chris Lim
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yilong Zhang
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Merck Research Laboratory, Rahway, NJ, USA
| | - Kevin Cromar
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harmony R Reynolds
- Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Rena R Jones
- NIH National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yikyung Park
- Department of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael Jerrett
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jiyoung Ahn
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - George D Thurston
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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29
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Kim SY, Bechle M, Hankey S, Sheppard L, Szpiro AA, Marshall JD. Concentrations of criteria pollutants in the contiguous U.S., 1979 - 2015: Role of prediction model parsimony in integrated empirical geographic regression. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228535. [PMID: 32069301 PMCID: PMC7028280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
National-scale empirical models for air pollution can include hundreds of geographic variables. The impact of model parsimony (i.e., how model performance differs for a large versus small number of covariates) has not been systematically explored. We aim to (1) build annual-average integrated empirical geographic (IEG) regression models for the contiguous U.S. for six criteria pollutants during 1979–2015; (2) explore systematically the impact on model performance of the number of variables selected for inclusion in a model; and (3) provide publicly available model predictions. We compute annual-average concentrations from regulatory monitoring data for PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, and ozone at all monitoring sites for 1979–2015. We also use ~350 geographic characteristics at each location including measures of traffic, land use, land cover, and satellite-based estimates of air pollution. We then develop IEG models, employing universal kriging and summary factors estimated by partial least squares (PLS) of geographic variables. For all pollutants and years, we compare three approaches for choosing variables to include in the PLS model: (1) no variables, (2) a limited number of variables selected from the full set by forward selection, and (3) all variables. We evaluate model performance using 10-fold cross-validation (CV) using conventional and spatially-clustered test data. Models using 3 to 30 variables selected from the full set generally have the best performance across all pollutants and years (median R2 conventional [clustered] CV: 0.66 [0.47]) compared to models with no (0.37 [0]) or all variables (0.64 [0.27]). Concentration estimates for all Census Blocks reveal generally decreasing concentrations over several decades with local heterogeneity. Our findings suggest that national prediction models can be built by empirically selecting only a small number of important variables to provide robust concentration estimates. Model estimates are freely available online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun-Young Kim
- Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Matthew Bechle
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Steve Hankey
- School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Adam A. Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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30
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Lim CC, Hayes RB, Ahn J, Shao Y, Silverman DT, Jones RR, Thurston GD. Mediterranean Diet and the Association Between Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Risk. Circulation 2020; 139:1766-1775. [PMID: 30700142 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.118.035742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent experimental evidence suggests that nutritional supplementation can blunt adverse cardiopulmonary effects induced by acute air pollution exposure. However, whether usual individual dietary patterns can modify the association between long-term air pollution exposure and health outcomes has not been previously investigated. We assessed, in a large cohort with detailed diet information at the individual level, whether a Mediterranean diet modifies the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and cardiovascular disease mortality risk. METHODS The National Institutes of Health-American Association for Retired Persons Diet and Health Study, a prospective cohort (N=548 845) across 6 states and 2 cities in the United States and with a follow-up period of 17 years (1995-2011), was linked to estimates of annual average exposures to fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide at the residential census-tract level. The alternative Mediterranean Diet Index, which uses a 9-point scale to assess conformity with a Mediterranean-style diet, was constructed for each participant from information in cohort baseline dietary questionnaires. We evaluated mortality risks for cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, or cardiac arrest associated with long-term air pollution exposure. Effect modification of the associations between exposure and the mortality outcomes by alternative Mediterranean Diet Index was examined via interaction terms. RESULTS For fine particulate matter, we observed elevated and significant associations with cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio [HR] per 10 μg/m3, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.08-1.18), ischemic heart disease (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.10-1.23), and cerebrovascular disease (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03-1.28). For nitrogen dioxide, we found significant associations with cardiovascular disease (HR per 10 ppb, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04-1.08) and ischemic heart disease (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.11). Analyses indicated that Mediterranean diet modified these relationships, as those with a higher alternative Mediterranean Diet Index score had significantly lower rates of cardiovascular disease mortality associated with long-term air pollution exposure ( P-interaction<0.05). CONCLUSIONS A Mediterranean diet reduced cardiovascular disease mortality risk related to long-term exposure to air pollutants in a large prospective US cohort. Increased consumption of foods rich in antioxidant compounds may aid in reducing the considerable disease burden associated with ambient air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris C Lim
- Departments of Environmental Medicine (C.C.L., R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine
| | - Richard B Hayes
- Departments of Environmental Medicine (C.C.L., R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine.,Population Health (R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine
| | - Jiyoung Ahn
- Departments of Environmental Medicine (C.C.L., R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine.,Population Health (R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Departments of Environmental Medicine (C.C.L., R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine.,Population Health (R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine
| | - Debra T Silverman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD (D.T.S., R.R.J.)
| | - Rena R Jones
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD (D.T.S., R.R.J.)
| | - George D Thurston
- Departments of Environmental Medicine (C.C.L., R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine.,Population Health (R.B.H., J.A., Y.S., G.D.T.), New York University School of Medicine
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31
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Carone M, Dominici F, Sheppard L. In Pursuit of Evidence in Air Pollution Epidemiology: The Role of Causally Driven Data Science. Epidemiology 2020; 31:1-6. [PMID: 31430263 PMCID: PMC6889002 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Carone
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington
| | - Francesca Dominici
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of
Public Health, Harvard University
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Sciences, University of Washington
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32
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Lim CC, Hayes RB, Ahn J, Shao Y, Silverman DT, Jones RR, Garcia C, Bell ML, Thurston GD. Long-Term Exposure to Ozone and Cause-Specific Mortality Risk in the United States. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019; 200:1022-1031. [PMID: 31051079 PMCID: PMC6794108 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201806-1161oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Many studies have linked short-term exposure to ozone (O3) with morbidity and mortality, but epidemiologic evidence of associations between long-term O3 exposure and mortality is more limited.Objectives: To investigate associations of long-term (annual or warm season average of daily 8-h maximum concentrations) O3 exposure with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a large prospective cohort of U.S. adults with 17 years of follow-up from 1995 to 2011.Methods: The cohort (n = 548,780) was linked to census tract-level estimates for O3. Associations between long-term O3 exposure (averaged values from 2002 to 2010) and multiple causes of death were evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for individual- and census tract-level covariates, and potentially confounding copollutants and temperature.Measurements and Main Results: Long-term annual average exposure to O3 was significantly associated with deaths caused by cardiovascular disease (per 10 ppb; hazard ratio [HR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.06), ischemic heart disease (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.09), respiratory disease (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.09), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.03-1.15) in single-pollutant models. The results were robust to alternative models and adjustment for copollutants (fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide), although some evidence of confounding by temperature was observed. Significantly elevated respiratory disease mortality risk associated with long-term O3 exposure was found among those living in locations with high temperature (Pinteraction < 0.05).Conclusions: This study found that long-term exposure to O3 is associated with increased risk for multiple causes of mortality, suggesting that establishment of annual and/or seasonal federal O3 standards is needed to more adequately protect public health from ambient O3 exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard B. Hayes
- Department of Environmental Medicine and
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jiyoung Ahn
- Department of Environmental Medicine and
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Environmental Medicine and
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Debra T. Silverman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Rena R. Jones
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Cynthia Garcia
- California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, California; and
| | - Michelle L. Bell
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - George D. Thurston
- Department of Environmental Medicine and
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
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33
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A Deep Belief Network Combined with Modified Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm for PM2.5 Concentration Prediction. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/app9183765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Accurate PM2.5 concentration prediction is crucial for protecting public health and improving air quality. As a popular deep learning model, deep belief network (DBN) for PM2.5 concentration prediction has received increasing attention due to its effectiveness. However, the DBN structure parameters that have a significant impact on prediction accuracy and computation time are hard to be determined. To address this issue, a modified grey wolf optimization (MGWO) algorithm is proposed to optimize the DBN structure parameters containing number of hidden nodes, learning rate, and momentum coefficient. The methodology modifies the basic grey wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm using the nonlinear convergence and position update strategies, and then utilizes the training error of the DBN to calculate the fitness function of the MGWO algorithm. Through the multiple iterations, the optimal structure parameters are obtained, and a suitable predictor is finally generated. The proposed prediction model is validated on a real application case. Compared with the other prediction models, experimental results show that the proposed model has a simpler structure but higher prediction accuracy.
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Chen CC, Chen PS, Yang CY. Relationship between fine particulate air pollution exposure and human adult life expectancy in Taiwan. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2019; 82:826-832. [PMID: 31438783 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2019.1658386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Among the air pollutants, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 um (PM2.5) is of particular interest to environmental medicine as epidemiologic studies consistently reported that long-term exposure to PM2.5 is associated with increased risk of premature death in adults. Life expectancy is a well-documented and important measure of overall public health policy. However, few investigators examined the relationship between PM2.5 levels and adult life expectancy. In this Taiwan-wide study, county-level annual mean PM2.5 concentrations data were collected concomitantly with potential confounding variables including demographic and socioeconomic status, as well as smoking prevalence. Subsequently, these PM2.5 data were analyzed with respect to county-level adult life expectancy data for the period 2010 to 2017. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between PM2.5 and life expectancy in adults. Residents residing in the counties characterized as containing higher levels of PM2.5 exhibited significantly reduced life expectancy after controlling for potential confounders. For each 10 ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 there was an estimated mean decrease in life expectancy in adults of 0.3 years. The results of this study shed light on the relationship between fine particulate air pollution exposure and risk to human health in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Cheng Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine , Kaohsiung , Taiwan
- Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University , Kaohsiung , Taiwan
| | - Pei-Shih Chen
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University , Kaohsiung , Taiwan
- Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University , Kaohsiung City , Taiwan
| | - Chun-Yuh Yang
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University , Kaohsiung , Taiwan
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institute , Miaoli , Taiwan
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35
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Bennett JE, Tamura-Wicks H, Parks RM, Burnett RT, Pope CA, Bechle MJ, Marshall JD, Danaei G, Ezzati M. Particulate matter air pollution and national and county life expectancy loss in the USA: A spatiotemporal analysis. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002856. [PMID: 31335874 PMCID: PMC6650052 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to fine particulate matter pollution (PM2.5) is hazardous to health. Our aim was to directly estimate the health and longevity impacts of current PM2.5 concentrations and the benefits of reductions from 1999 to 2015, nationally and at county level, for the entire contemporary population of the contiguous United States. METHODS AND FINDINGS We used vital registration and population data with information on sex, age, cause of death, and county of residence. We used four Bayesian spatiotemporal models, with different adjustments for other determinants of mortality, to directly estimate mortality and life expectancy loss due to current PM2.5 pollution and the benefits of reductions since 1999, nationally and by county. The covariates included in the adjusted models were per capita income; percentage of population whose family income is below the poverty threshold, who are of Black or African American race, who have graduated from high school, who live in urban areas, and who are unemployed; cumulative smoking; and mean temperature and relative humidity. In the main model, which adjusted for these covariates and for unobserved county characteristics through the use of county-specific random intercepts, PM2.5 pollution in excess of the lowest observed concentration (2.8 μg/m3) was responsible for an estimated 15,612 deaths (95% credible interval 13,248-17,945) in females and 14,757 deaths (12,617-16,919) in males. These deaths would lower national life expectancy by an estimated 0.15 years (0.13-0.17) for women and 0.13 years (0.11-0.15) for men. The life expectancy loss due to PM2.5 was largest around Los Angeles and in some southern states such as Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama. At any PM2.5 concentration, life expectancy loss was, on average, larger in counties with lower income and higher poverty rate than in wealthier counties. Reductions in PM2.5 since 1999 have lowered mortality in all but 14 counties where PM2.5 increased slightly. The main limitation of our study, similar to other observational studies, is that it is not guaranteed for the observed associations to be causal. We did not have annual county-level data on other important determinants of mortality, such as healthcare access and quality and diet, but these factors were adjusted for with use of county-specific random intercepts. CONCLUSIONS According to our estimates, recent reductions in particulate matter pollution in the USA have resulted in public health benefits. Nonetheless, we estimate that current concentrations are associated with mortality impacts and loss of life expectancy, with larger impacts in counties with lower income and higher poverty rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E. Bennett
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Tamura-Wicks
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robbie M. Parks
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - C. Arden Pope
- Department of Economics, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Bechle
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Goodarz Danaei
- Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Majid Ezzati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- WHO Collaborating Centre on NCD Surveillance and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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36
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Meng J, Li C, Martin RV, van Donkelaar A, Hystad P, Brauer M. Estimated Long-Term (1981-2016) Concentrations of Ambient Fine Particulate Matter across North America from Chemical Transport Modeling, Satellite Remote Sensing, and Ground-Based Measurements. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:5071-5079. [PMID: 30995030 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b06875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Accurate data concerning historical fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations are needed to assess long-term changes in exposure and associated health risks. We estimated historical PM2.5 concentrations over North America from 1981 to 2016 for the first time by combining chemical transport modeling, satellite remote sensing, and ground-based measurements. We constrained and evaluated our estimates with direct ground-based PM2.5 measurements when available and otherwise with historical estimates of PM2.5 from PM10 measurements or total suspended particle (TSP) measurements. The estimated PM2.5 concentrations were generally consistent with direct ground-based PM2.5 measurements over their duration from 1988 onward ( R2 = 0.6 to 0.85) and to a lesser extent with PM2.5 inferred from PM10 measurements from 1985 to 1998 ( R2 = 0.5 to 0.6). The collocated comparison of the trends of population-weighted annual average PM2.5 from our estimates and ground-based measurements was highly consistent (RMSD = 0.66 μg m-3). The population-weighted annual average PM2.5 over North America decreased from 22 ± 6.4 μg m-3 in 1981, to 12 ± 3.2 μg m-3 in 1998, and to 7.9 ± 2.1 μg m-3 in 2016, with an overall trend of -0.33 μg m-3 yr-1 (95% CI: -0.35, -0.31).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Meng
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 , Canada
| | - Chi Li
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 , Canada
| | - Randall V Martin
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 , Canada
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory , Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 , Canada
| | - Perry Hystad
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences , Oregon State University , Corvallis , Oregon 97331 , United States
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health , The University of British Columbia , 2206 East Mall , Vancouver , British Columbia V6T 1Z3 , Canada
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37
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Kelly JT, Jang CJ, Timin B, Gantt B, Reff A, Zhu Y, Long S, Hanna A. A System for Developing and Projecting PM 2.5 Spatial Fields to Correspond to Just Meeting National Ambient Air Quality Standards. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT: X 2019; 2:100019. [PMID: 31534416 PMCID: PMC6750759 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeaoa.2019.100019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
PM2.5 concentration fields that correspond to just meeting national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) are useful for characterizing exposure in regulatory assessments. Computationally efficient methods that incorporate predictions from photochemical grid models (PGM) are needed to realistically project baseline concentration fields for these assessments. Thorough cross validation (CV) of hybrid spatial prediction models is also needed to better assess their predictive capability in sparsely monitored areas. In this study, a system for generating, evaluating, and projecting PM2.5 spatial fields to correspond with just meeting the PM2.5 NAAQS is developed and demonstrated. Results of ten-fold CV based on standard and spatial cluster withholding approaches indicate that performance of three spatial prediction models improves with decreasing distance to the nearest neighboring monitor, improved PGM performance, and increasing distance from sources of PM2.5 heterogeneity (e.g., complex terrain and fire). An air quality projection tool developed here is demonstrated to be effective for quickly projecting PM2.5 spatial fields to just meet NAAQS using realistic spatial response patterns based on air quality modeling. PM2.5 tends to be most responsive to primary PM2.5 emissions in urban areas, whereas response patterns are relatively smooth for NOx and SO2 emission changes. On average, PM2.5 is more responsive to changes in anthropogenic primary PM2.5 emissions than NOx and SO2 emissions in the contiguous U.S.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Kelly
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Carey J Jang
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Brian Timin
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Brett Gantt
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Adam Reff
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Yun Zhu
- College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shicheng Long
- College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Adel Hanna
- Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27517 USA
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38
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Knibbs LD, van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Bechle MJ, Brauer M, Cohen DD, Cowie CT, Dirgawati M, Guo Y, Hanigan IC, Johnston FH, Marks GB, Marshall JD, Pereira G, Jalaludin B, Heyworth JS, Morgan GG, Barnett AG. Satellite-Based Land-Use Regression for Continental-Scale Long-Term Ambient PM 2.5 Exposure Assessment in Australia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:12445-12455. [PMID: 30277062 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Australia has relatively diverse sources and low concentrations of ambient fine particulate matter (<2.5 μm, PM2.5). Few comparable regions are available to evaluate the utility of continental-scale land-use regression (LUR) models including global geophysical estimates of PM2.5, derived by relating satellite-observed aerosol optical depth to ground-level PM2.5 ("SAT-PM2.5"). We aimed to determine the validity of such satellite-based LUR models for PM2.5 in Australia. We used global SAT-PM2.5 estimates (∼10 km grid) and local land-use predictors to develop four LUR models for year-2015 (two satellite-based, two nonsatellite-based). We evaluated model performance at 51 independent monitoring sites not used for model development. An LUR model that included the SAT-PM2.5 predictor variable (and six others) explained the most spatial variability in PM2.5 (adjusted R2 = 0.63, RMSE (μg/m3 [%]): 0.96 [14%]). Performance decreased modestly when evaluated (evaluation R2 = 0.52, RMSE: 1.15 [16%]). The evaluation R2 of the SAT-PM2.5 estimate alone was 0.26 (RMSE: 3.97 [56%]). SAT-PM2.5 estimates improved LUR model performance, while local land-use predictors increased the utility of global SAT-PM2.5 estimates, including enhanced characterization of within-city gradients. Our findings support the validity of continental-scale satellite-based LUR modeling for PM2.5 exposure assessment in Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke D Knibbs
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health , The University of Queensland , Herston , Queensland 4006 , Australia
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 , Canada
| | - Randall V Martin
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia B3H 4R2 , Canada
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory , Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
| | - Matthew J Bechle
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health , The University of British Columbia , Vancouver , British Columbia V6T 1Z3 , Canada
| | - David D Cohen
- Centre for Accelerator Science , Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation , Locked Bag 2001 , Kirrawee DC, New South Wales 2232 , Australia
| | - Christine T Cowie
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- South Western Sydney Clinical School , The University of New South Wales , Liverpool , New South Wales 2170 , Australia
| | - Mila Dirgawati
- School of Population and Global Health , The University of Western Australia , Perth , Western Australia 6009 , Australia
- Environmental Engineering , Institut Teknologi Nasional , Bandung , Jawa Barat 40213 , Indonesia
| | - Yuming Guo
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine , Monash University , Melbourne , Victoria 3004 , Australia
| | - Ivan C Hanigan
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- School of Public Health , The University of Sydney , Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
| | - Fay H Johnston
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research , The University of Tasmania , Hobart , Tasmania 7000 , Australia
| | - Guy B Marks
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- South Western Sydney Clinical School , The University of New South Wales , Liverpool , New South Wales 2170 , Australia
| | - Julian D Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Gavin Pereira
- School of Public Health , Curtin University , Bentley , Washington 6102 , Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute , The University of Western Australia , Perth , Western Australia 6008 , Australia
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- Population Health , South Western Sydney Local Health District , Liverpool , New South Wales 2170 , Australia
| | - Jane S Heyworth
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- School of Population and Global Health , The University of Western Australia , Perth , Western Australia 6009 , Australia
- Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub , National Environmental Science Programme , Melbourne , Victoria 3010 , Australia
| | - Geoffrey G Morgan
- Centre for Air Pollution , Energy and Health Research , Glebe , New South Wales 2037 , Australia
- School of Public Health , The University of Sydney , Sydney , New South Wales 2006 , Australia
| | - Adrian G Barnett
- School of Public Health and Social Work , Queensland University of Technology , Kelvin Grove , Queensland 4059 , Australia
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39
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Fann N, Coffman E, Timin B, Kelly JT. The estimated change in the level and distribution of PM 2.5-attributable health impacts in the United States: 2005-2014. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 167:506-514. [PMID: 30142626 PMCID: PMC6716061 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Photochemical modeling can predict the level and distribution of pollutant concentrations over time, but is resource-intensive. Partly for this reason, there are few studies exploring the multi-year trajectory of the historical change in fine particle (PM2.5) levels and associated health impacts in the U.S. OBJECTIVES We used a unique dataset of Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model simulations performed for a subset of years over a decade-long period fused with observations to estimate the change in ambient levels of PM2.5 across the contiguous U.S. We also quantified the change in PM2.5-attributable health risks and characterized the level of risk inequality over this period. METHODS We estimated annual mean PM2.5 concentrations in 2005, 2011 and 2014. Using log-linear and logistic concentration-response coefficients we estimated changes in the numbers of deaths, hospital admissions and other morbidity outcomes. Calculating the Gini coefficient and Atkinson Index, we characterized the extent to which PM2.5 attributable risks were shared equally across the population or instead concentrated among certain subgroups. RESULTS In 2005 the estimated fraction of deaths due to PM2.5 was 6.1%. This estimated value falls to 4.6% by 2014. Every portion of the contiguous U.S. experiences a decline in the risk of PM-related premature death over the 10-year period. As measured by the Gini coefficient and Atkinson index, the level of PM mortality risk is shared more equally in 2014 than in 2005 among all subgroups. CONCLUSIONS Between 2005 and 2014, the level of PM2.5 concentrations fall, and the risk of premature death, declined and became more equitably distributed across the U.S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal Fann
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Evan Coffman
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Brian Timin
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - James T Kelly
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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40
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Lim CC, Hayes RB, Ahn J, Shao Y, Silverman DT, Jones RR, Garcia C, Thurston GD. Association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and diabetes mortality in the US. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 165:330-336. [PMID: 29778967 PMCID: PMC5999582 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recent mechanistic and epidemiological evidence implicates air pollution as a potential risk factor for diabetes; however, mortality risks have not been evaluated in a large US cohort assessing exposures to multiple pollutants with detailed consideration of personal risk factors for diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We assessed the effects of long-term ambient air pollution exposures on diabetes mortality in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a cohort of approximately a half million subjects across the contiguous U.S. The cohort, with a follow-up period between 1995 and 2011, was linked to residential census tract estimates for annual mean concentration levels of PM2.5, NO2, and O3. Associations between the air pollutants and the risk of diabetes mortality (N = 3598) were evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for both individual-level and census-level contextual covariates. RESULTS Diabetes mortality was significantly associated with increasing levels of both PM2.5 (HR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03-1.39 per 10 μg/m3) and NO2 (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01-1.18 per 10 ppb). The strength of the relationship was robust to alternate exposure assessments and model specifications. We also observed significant effect modification, with elevated mortality risks observed among those with higher BMI and lower levels of fruit consumption. CONCLUSIONS We found that long-term exposure to PM2.5 and NO2, but not O3, is related to increased risk of diabetes mortality in the U.S, with attenuation of adverse effects by lower BMI and higher fruit consumption, suggesting that air pollution is involved in the etiology and/or control of diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris C Lim
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987, USA.
| | - Richard B Hayes
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Jiyoung Ahn
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Debra T Silverman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
| | - Rena R Jones
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
| | | | - George D Thurston
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, USA.
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41
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Early-Life Air Pollution Exposure, Neighborhood Poverty, and Childhood Asthma in the United States, 1990⁻2014. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15061114. [PMID: 29848979 PMCID: PMC6025399 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15061114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Ambient air pollution is a well-known risk factor of various asthma-related outcomes, however, past research has often focused on acute exacerbations rather than asthma development. This study draws on a population-based, multigenerational panel dataset from the United States to assess the association of childhood asthma risk with census block-level, annual-average air pollution exposure measured during the prenatal and early postnatal periods, as well as effect modification by neighborhood poverty. Findings suggest that early-life exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a marker of traffic-related pollution, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a mixture of industrial and other pollutants, are positively associated with subsequent childhood asthma diagnosis (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.10–1.41 and OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.06–1.46, respectively, per interquartile range (IQR) increase in each pollutant (NO2 IQR = 8.51 ppb and PM2.5 IQR = 4.43 µ/m3)). These effects are modified by early-life neighborhood poverty exposure, with no or weaker effects in moderate- and low- (versus high-) poverty areas. This work underscores the importance of a holistic, developmental approach to elucidating the interplay of social and environmental contexts that may create conditions for racial-ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in childhood asthma risk.
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42
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Knibbs LD, Coorey CP, Bechle MJ, Marshall JD, Hewson MG, Jalaludin B, Morgan GG, Barnett AG. Long-term nitrogen dioxide exposure assessment using back-extrapolation of satellite-based land-use regression models for Australia. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 163:16-25. [PMID: 29421169 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Assessing historical exposure to air pollution in epidemiological studies is often problematic because of limited spatial and temporal measurement coverage. Several methods for modelling historical exposures have been described, including land-use regression (LUR). Satellite-based LUR is a recent technique that seeks to improve predictive ability and spatial coverage of traditional LUR models by using satellite observations of pollutants as inputs to LUR. Few studies have explored its validity for assessing historical exposures, reflecting the absence of historical observations from popular satellite platforms like Aura (launched mid-2004). We investigated whether contemporary satellite-based LUR models for Australia, developed longitudinally for 2006-2011, could capture nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations during 1990-2005 at 89 sites around the country. We assessed three methods to back-extrapolate year-2006 NO2 predictions: (1) 'do nothing' (i.e., use the year-2006 estimates directly, for prior years); (2) change the independent variable 'year' in our LUR models to match the years of interest (i.e., assume a linear trend prior to year-2006, following national average patterns in 2006-2011), and; (3) adjust year-2006 predictions using selected historical measurements. We evaluated prediction error and bias, and the correlation and absolute agreement of measurements and predictions using R2 and mean-square error R2 (MSE-R2), respectively. We found that changing the year variable led to best performance; predictions captured between 41% (1991; MSE-R2 = 31%) and 80% (2003; MSE-R2 = 78%) of spatial variability in NO2 in a given year, and 76% (MSE-R2 = 72%) averaged over 1990-2005. We conclude that simple methods for back-extrapolating prior to year-2006 yield valid historical NO2 estimates for Australia during 1990-2005. These results suggest that for the time scales considered here, satellite-based LUR has a potential role to play in long-term exposure assessment, even in the absence of historical predictor data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke D Knibbs
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; Centre for Air Quality and Health Research and Evaluation, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia.
| | - Craig P Coorey
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Matthew J Bechle
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| | - Julian D Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| | - Michael G Hewson
- School of Education and the Arts, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4700, Australia
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- Centre for Air Quality and Health Research and Evaluation, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia; Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia; Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Geoff G Morgan
- Centre for Air Quality and Health Research and Evaluation, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia; University Centre for Rural Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
| | - Adrian G Barnett
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia
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Abstract
Purpose of Review Epidemiological studies of health effects of long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution rely on different exposure assessment methods. This review discusses widely used methods with a special focus on new developments. Recent Findings New data and study designs have been applied, including satellite measurements of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The methods to apply satellite data for epidemiological studies are improving rapidly and have already contributed significantly to national-, continental- and global-scale models. Spatiotemporal models have been developed allowing more detailed temporal resolution compared to spatial models. The development of hybrid models combining dispersion models, satellite observations, land use and surface monitoring has improved models substantially. Mobile monitoring designs to develop models for long-term UFP exposure have been conducted. Summary Methods to assess long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution have improved significantly over the past decade. Application of satellite data and mobile monitoring designs is promising new methods.
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Hooper LG, Young MT, Keller JP, Szpiro AA, O'Brien KM, Sandler DP, Vedal S, Kaufman JD, London SJ. Ambient Air Pollution and Chronic Bronchitis in a Cohort of U.S. Women. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2018; 126:027005. [PMID: 29410384 PMCID: PMC6066337 DOI: 10.1289/ehp2199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited evidence links air pollution exposure to chronic cough and sputum production. Few reports have investigated the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and classically defined chronic bronchitis. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to estimate the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter (diameter <10 μm, PM10; <2.5μm, PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and both incident and prevalent chronic bronchitis. METHODS We estimated annual average PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 concentrations using a national land-use regression model with spatial smoothing at home addresses of participants in a prospective nationwide U.S. cohort study of sisters of women with breast cancer. Incident chronic bronchitis and prevalent chronic bronchitis, cough and phlegm, were assessed by questionnaires. RESULTS Among 47,357 individuals with complete data, 1,383 had prevalent chronic bronchitis at baseline, and 647 incident cases occurred over 5.7-y average follow-up. No associations with incident chronic bronchitis were observed. Prevalent chronic bronchitis was associated with PM10 [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) per interquartile range (IQR) difference (5.8 μg/m3)=1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.13]. In never-smokers, PM2.5 was associated with prevalent chronic bronchitis (aOR=1.18 per IQR difference; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.34), and NO2 was associated with prevalent chronic bronchitis (aOR=1.10; 95% CI=1.01, 1.20), cough (aOR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.16), and phlegm (aOR=1.07; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.14); interaction p-values (nonsmokers vs. smokers) <0.05. CONCLUSIONS PM10 exposure was related to chronic bronchitis prevalence. Among never-smokers, PM2.5 and NO2 exposure was associated with chronic bronchitis and component symptoms. Results may have policy ramifications for PM10 regulation by providing evidence for respiratory health effects related to long-term PM10 exposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2199.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura G Hooper
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michael T Young
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joshua P Keller
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Adam A Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Katie M O'Brien
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sverre Vedal
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stephanie J London
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Brook JR, Setton EM, Seed E, Shooshtari M, Doiron D. The Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium - a protocol for building a national environmental exposure data platform for integrated analyses of urban form and health. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:114. [PMID: 29310629 PMCID: PMC5759244 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-5001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple external environmental exposures related to residential location and urban form including, air pollutants, noise, greenness, and walkability have been linked to health impacts or benefits. The Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) was established to facilitate the linkage of extensive geospatial exposure data to existing Canadian cohorts and administrative health data holdings. We hypothesize that this linkage will enable investigators to test a variety of their own hypotheses related to the interdependent associations of built environment features with diverse health outcomes encompassed by the cohorts and administrative data. METHODS We developed a protocol for compiling measures of built environment features that quantify exposure; vary spatially on the urban and suburban scale; and can be modified through changes in policy or individual behaviour to benefit health. These measures fall into six domains: air quality, noise, greenness, weather/climate, and transportation and neighbourhood factors; and will be indexed to six-digit postal codes to facilitate merging with health databases. Initial efforts focus on existing data and include estimates of air pollutants, greenness, temperature extremes, and neighbourhood walkability and socioeconomic characteristics. Key gaps will be addressed for noise exposure, with a new national model being developed, and for transportation-related exposures, with detailed estimates of truck volumes and diesel emissions now underway in selected cities. Improvements to existing exposure estimates are planned, primarily by increasing temporal and/or spatial resolution given new satellite-based sensors and more detailed national air quality modelling. Novel metrics are also planned for walkability and food environments, green space access and function and life-long climate-related exposures based on local climate zones. Critical challenges exist, for example, the quantity and quality of input data to many of the models and metrics has changed over time, making it difficult to develop and validate historical exposures. DISCUSSION CANUE represents a unique effort to coordinate and leverage substantial research investments and will enable a more focused effort on filling gaps in exposure information, improving the range of exposures quantified, their precision and mechanistic relevance to health. Epidemiological studies may be better able to explore the common theme of urban form and health in an integrated manner, ultimately contributing new knowledge informing policies that enhance healthy urban living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R. Brook
- Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Evan Seed
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Dany Doiron
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
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Sack C, Vedal S, Sheppard L, Raghu G, Barr RG, Podolanczuk A, Doney B, Hoffman EA, Gassett A, Hinckley-Stukovsky K, Williams K, Kawut S, Lederer DJ, Kaufman JD. Air pollution and subclinical interstitial lung disease: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) air-lung study. Eur Respir J 2017; 50:50/6/1700559. [PMID: 29217611 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00559-2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We studied whether ambient air pollution is associated with interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) and high attenuation areas (HAAs), which are qualitative and quantitative measurements of subclinical interstitial lung disease (ILD) on computed tomography (CT).We performed analyses of community-based dwellers enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study. We used cohort-specific spatio-temporal models to estimate ambient pollution (fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3)) at each home. A total of 5495 participants underwent serial assessment of HAAs by cardiac CT; 2671 participants were assessed for ILAs using full lung CT at the 10-year follow-up. We used multivariable logistic regression and linear mixed models adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, tobacco use, scanner technology and study site.The odds of ILAs increased 1.77-fold per 40 ppb increment in NOx (95% CI 1.06 to 2.95, p = 0.03). There was an overall trend towards an association between higher exposure to NOx and greater progression of HAAs (0.45% annual increase in HAAs per 40 ppb increment in NOx; 95% CI -0.02 to 0.92, p = 0.06). Associations of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), NOx and NO2 concentrations with progression of HAAs varied by race/ethnicity (p = 0.002, 0.007, 0.04, respectively, for interaction) and were strongest among non-Hispanic white people.We conclude that ambient air pollution exposures were associated with subclinical ILD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coralynn Sack
- Dept of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sverre Vedal
- Dept of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Dept of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Dept of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ganesh Raghu
- Dept of Medicine, Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - R Graham Barr
- Dept of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Dept of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Podolanczuk
- Dept of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brent Doney
- Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Eric A Hoffman
- Dept of Radiology, Carver School of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Amanda Gassett
- Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Kayleen Williams
- Collaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Steve Kawut
- Depts of Medicine and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David J Lederer
- Dept of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA .,Dept of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Both authors contributed equally
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Dept of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Both authors contributed equally
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47
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Fann N, Kim SY, Olives C, Sheppard L. Estimated Changes in Life Expectancy and Adult Mortality Resulting from Declining PM2.5 Exposures in the Contiguous United States: 1980-2010. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:097003. [PMID: 28934094 PMCID: PMC5903877 DOI: 10.1289/ehp507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND PM2.5 precursor emissions have declined over the course of several decades, following the implementation of local, state, and federal air quality policies. Estimating the corresponding change in population exposure and PM2.5-attributable risk of death prior to the year 2000 is made difficult by the lack of PM2.5 monitoring data. OBJECTIVES We used a new technique to estimate historical PM2.5 concentrations, and estimated the effects of changes in PM2.5 population exposures on mortality in adults (age ≥30y), and on life expectancy at birth, in the contiguous United States during 1980-2010. METHODS We estimated annual mean county-level PM2.5 concentrations in 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 using universal kriging incorporating geographic variables. County-level death rates and national life tables for each year were obtained from the U.S. Census and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We used log-linear and nonlinear concentration-response coefficients from previous studies to estimate changes in the numbers of deaths and in life years and life expectancy at birth, attributable to changes in PM2.5. RESULTS Between 1980 and 2010, population-weighted PM2.5 exposures fell by about half, and the estimated number of excess deaths declined by about a third. The States of California, Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia had some of the largest estimated reductions in PM2.5-attributable deaths. Relative to a counterfactual population with exposures held constant at 1980 levels, we estimated that people born in 2050 would experience an ∼1-y increase in life expectancy at birth, and that there would be a cumulative gain of 4.4 million life years among adults ≥30y of age. CONCLUSIONS Our estimates suggest that declines in PM2.5 exposures between 1980 and 2010 have benefitted public health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP507.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal Fann
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park , North Carolina, USA
| | - Sun-Young Kim
- Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University , Seoul, Korea
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Casey Olives
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington, USA
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Hu X, Belle JH, Meng X, Wildani A, Waller LA, Strickland MJ, Liu Y. Estimating PM 2.5 Concentrations in the Conterminous United States Using the Random Forest Approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:6936-6944. [PMID: 28534414 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b01210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
To estimate PM2.5 concentrations, many parametric regression models have been developed, while nonparametric machine learning algorithms are used less often and national-scale models are rare. In this paper, we develop a random forest model incorporating aerosol optical depth (AOD) data, meteorological fields, and land use variables to estimate daily 24 h averaged ground-level PM2.5 concentrations over the conterminous United States in 2011. Random forests are an ensemble learning method that provides predictions with high accuracy and interpretability. Our results achieve an overall cross-validation (CV) R2 value of 0.80. Mean prediction error (MPE) and root mean squared prediction error (RMSPE) for daily predictions are 1.78 and 2.83 μg/m3, respectively, indicating a good agreement between CV predictions and observations. The prediction accuracy of our model is similar to those reported in previous studies using neural networks or regression models on both national and regional scales. In addition, the incorporation of convolutional layers for land use terms and nearby PM2.5 measurements increase CV R2 by ∼0.02 and ∼0.06, respectively, indicating their significant contributions to prediction accuracy. A pair of different variable importance measures both indicate that the convolutional layer for nearby PM2.5 measurements and AOD values are among the most-important predictor variables for the training process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Matthew J Strickland
- School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada Reno , Reno, Nevada 89557, United States
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49
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Kim O, Kim SY, Kwon HY, Kim H. Data Issues and Suggestions in the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort for Assessing the Long-term Health Effects of Air Pollution Focusing on Mortality. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.21032/jhis.2017.42.1.89] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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50
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Kaufman JD, Spalt EW, Curl CL, Hajat A, Jones MR, Kim SY, Vedal S, Szpiro AA, Gassett A, Sheppard L, Daviglus ML, Adar SD. Advances in Understanding Air Pollution and CVD. Glob Heart 2016; 11:343-352. [PMID: 27741981 PMCID: PMC5082281 DOI: 10.1016/j.gheart.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The MESA Air (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution) leveraged the platform of the MESA cohort into a prospective longitudinal study of relationships between air pollution and cardiovascular health. MESA Air researchers developed fine-scale, state-of-the-art air pollution exposure models for the MESA Air communities, creating individual exposure estimates for each participant. These models combine cohort-specific exposure monitoring, existing monitoring systems, and an extensive database of geographic and meteorological information. Together with extensive phenotyping in MESA-and adding participants and health measurements to the cohort-MESA Air investigated environmental exposures on a wide range of outcomes. Advances by the MESA Air team included not only a new approach to exposure modeling, but also biostatistical advances in addressing exposure measurement error and temporal confounding. The MESA Air study advanced our understanding of the impact of air pollutants on cardiovascular disease and provided a research platform for advances in environmental epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Elizabeth W Spalt
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cynthia L Curl
- Department of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Anjum Hajat
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Miranda R Jones
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sun-Young Kim
- Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sverre Vedal
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Adam A Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amanda Gassett
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Martha L Daviglus
- Institute for Minority Health Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sara D Adar
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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