Reduced ambient PM2.5, better lung function, and decreased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Yacong Bo; Ly yun Chang; Cui Guo; Changqing Lin; Alexis K.H. Lau; Tony Tam; Xiang Qian Lao

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.106706

Reduced ambient PM_2.5, better lung function, and decreased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Yacong Bo
, Ly yun Chang
, Cui Guo
, Changqing Lin
, Alexis K.H. Lau
, Tony Tam
, Xiang Qian Lao^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

69 Citations (Scopus)

57 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Background: Several studies reported that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) was associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It remains unclear whether reduced PM_2.5 can decrease the risk of COPD development.

Objective: To investigate the associations of dynamic changes (including deterioration and improvement) in long-term exposure to ambient PM_2.5 with changes in lung function and the incidence of COPD.

Methods: A total of 133,119 adults (aged 18 years or older) were recruited in Taiwan between 2001 and 2014. All participants underwent at least two standard medical examinations including spirometry test. We estimated PM2.5 concentrations using a high-resolution (1 km²) satellite-based spatio-temporal model. The change in PM_2.5 (ΔPM_2.5) was defined as the difference in concentration of PM_2.5 between the respective visit and the previous visit. We used a multivariable mixed linear model and time-varying Cox model to investigate the associations of change in PM_2.5 with annual change of lung function and the incidence of COPD, respectively.

Result: The PM_2.5concentration in Taiwan increased during 2002–2004 and began to decrease around 2005. Every 5-µg/m³/year decrease in the annual change of PM_2.5 (i.e., ΔPM_2.5/year of 5 µg/m³/year) was associated with an average increase of 19.93 mL/year (95 %CI: 17.42,22.43) in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), 12.76 mL/year (95 %CI: 9.84,15.66) in forced vital capacity (FVC), 70.22 mL/s/year (95 %CI: 64.69,76.16) in midexpiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25-75), 0.27%/year (95 %CI: 0.21%, 0.32%) in FEV₁/FVC/year. Every 5 µg/m³decrease in PM_2.5 (i.e., ΔPM_2.5 of 5 µg/m³) was associated with a 12% (95 %CI: 7%, 17%) reduced risk of COPD development. The stratified and sensitivity analyses generally yielded similar results.

Conclusion: An improvement in PM_2.5 pollution exposure was associated with an attenuated decline in lung function parameters of FEV₁, FVC, MEF25-75, and FEV₁/FVC, and a decreased risk of COPD development. Our findings suggest that strategies aimed at reducing air pollution may effectively combat the risk of COPD development.

Original language	English
Article number	106706
Journal	Environment International
Volume	156
Online published	18 Jun 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106706
Publication status	Published - Nov 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)

Funding

This study is in part supported by Environmental Health Research Fund of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (7104946). Yacong Bo is supported by the PhD Studentship of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Research Keywords

Air quality improvement
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Cohort
Lung function
Particulate matter

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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Cite this

@article{242e9d7cec8e4df786356d73a3015ad1,

title = "Reduced ambient PM2.5, better lung function, and decreased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease",

abstract = "Background: Several studies reported that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It remains unclear whether reduced PM2.5 can decrease the risk of COPD development. Objective: To investigate the associations of dynamic changes (including deterioration and improvement) in long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 with changes in lung function and the incidence of COPD. Methods: A total of 133,119 adults (aged 18 years or older) were recruited in Taiwan between 2001 and 2014. All participants underwent at least two standard medical examinations including spirometry test. We estimated PM2.5 concentrations using a high-resolution (1 km2) satellite-based spatio-temporal model. The change in PM2.5 (ΔPM2.5) was defined as the difference in concentration of PM2.5 between the respective visit and the previous visit. We used a multivariable mixed linear model and time-varying Cox model to investigate the associations of change in PM2.5 with annual change of lung function and the incidence of COPD, respectively. Result: The PM2.5 concentration in Taiwan increased during 2002–2004 and began to decrease around 2005. Every 5-µg/m3/year decrease in the annual change of PM2.5 (i.e., ΔPM2.5/year of 5 µg/m3/year) was associated with an average increase of 19.93 mL/year (95 \%CI: 17.42,22.43) in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), 12.76 mL/year (95 \%CI: 9.84,15.66) in forced vital capacity (FVC), 70.22 mL/s/year (95 \%CI: 64.69,76.16) in midexpiratory flow between 25 and 75\% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25-75), 0.27\%/year (95 \%CI: 0.21\%, 0.32\%) in FEV1/FVC/year. Every 5 µg/m3 decrease in PM2.5 (i.e., ΔPM2.5 of 5 µg/m3) was associated with a 12\% (95 \%CI: 7\%, 17\%) reduced risk of COPD development. The stratified and sensitivity analyses generally yielded similar results. Conclusion: An improvement in PM2.5 pollution exposure was associated with an attenuated decline in lung function parameters of FEV1, FVC, MEF25-75, and FEV1/FVC, and a decreased risk of COPD development. Our findings suggest that strategies aimed at reducing air pollution may effectively combat the risk of COPD development.",

keywords = "Air quality improvement, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cohort, Lung function, Particulate matter",

author = "Yacong Bo and Chang, \{Ly yun\} and Cui Guo and Changqing Lin and Lau, \{Alexis K.H.\} and Tony Tam and Lao, \{Xiang Qian\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s)",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2021.106706",

language = "English",

volume = "156",

journal = "Environment International",

issn = "0160-4120",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reduced ambient PM2.5, better lung function, and decreased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

AU - Bo, Yacong

AU - Chang, Ly yun

AU - Guo, Cui

AU - Lin, Changqing

AU - Lau, Alexis K.H.

AU - Tam, Tony

AU - Lao, Xiang Qian

PY - 2021/11

Y1 - 2021/11

N2 - Background: Several studies reported that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It remains unclear whether reduced PM2.5 can decrease the risk of COPD development. Objective: To investigate the associations of dynamic changes (including deterioration and improvement) in long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 with changes in lung function and the incidence of COPD. Methods: A total of 133,119 adults (aged 18 years or older) were recruited in Taiwan between 2001 and 2014. All participants underwent at least two standard medical examinations including spirometry test. We estimated PM2.5 concentrations using a high-resolution (1 km2) satellite-based spatio-temporal model. The change in PM2.5 (ΔPM2.5) was defined as the difference in concentration of PM2.5 between the respective visit and the previous visit. We used a multivariable mixed linear model and time-varying Cox model to investigate the associations of change in PM2.5 with annual change of lung function and the incidence of COPD, respectively. Result: The PM2.5 concentration in Taiwan increased during 2002–2004 and began to decrease around 2005. Every 5-µg/m3/year decrease in the annual change of PM2.5 (i.e., ΔPM2.5/year of 5 µg/m3/year) was associated with an average increase of 19.93 mL/year (95 %CI: 17.42,22.43) in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), 12.76 mL/year (95 %CI: 9.84,15.66) in forced vital capacity (FVC), 70.22 mL/s/year (95 %CI: 64.69,76.16) in midexpiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25-75), 0.27%/year (95 %CI: 0.21%, 0.32%) in FEV1/FVC/year. Every 5 µg/m3 decrease in PM2.5 (i.e., ΔPM2.5 of 5 µg/m3) was associated with a 12% (95 %CI: 7%, 17%) reduced risk of COPD development. The stratified and sensitivity analyses generally yielded similar results. Conclusion: An improvement in PM2.5 pollution exposure was associated with an attenuated decline in lung function parameters of FEV1, FVC, MEF25-75, and FEV1/FVC, and a decreased risk of COPD development. Our findings suggest that strategies aimed at reducing air pollution may effectively combat the risk of COPD development.

AB - Background: Several studies reported that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It remains unclear whether reduced PM2.5 can decrease the risk of COPD development. Objective: To investigate the associations of dynamic changes (including deterioration and improvement) in long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 with changes in lung function and the incidence of COPD. Methods: A total of 133,119 adults (aged 18 years or older) were recruited in Taiwan between 2001 and 2014. All participants underwent at least two standard medical examinations including spirometry test. We estimated PM2.5 concentrations using a high-resolution (1 km2) satellite-based spatio-temporal model. The change in PM2.5 (ΔPM2.5) was defined as the difference in concentration of PM2.5 between the respective visit and the previous visit. We used a multivariable mixed linear model and time-varying Cox model to investigate the associations of change in PM2.5 with annual change of lung function and the incidence of COPD, respectively. Result: The PM2.5 concentration in Taiwan increased during 2002–2004 and began to decrease around 2005. Every 5-µg/m3/year decrease in the annual change of PM2.5 (i.e., ΔPM2.5/year of 5 µg/m3/year) was associated with an average increase of 19.93 mL/year (95 %CI: 17.42,22.43) in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), 12.76 mL/year (95 %CI: 9.84,15.66) in forced vital capacity (FVC), 70.22 mL/s/year (95 %CI: 64.69,76.16) in midexpiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25-75), 0.27%/year (95 %CI: 0.21%, 0.32%) in FEV1/FVC/year. Every 5 µg/m3 decrease in PM2.5 (i.e., ΔPM2.5 of 5 µg/m3) was associated with a 12% (95 %CI: 7%, 17%) reduced risk of COPD development. The stratified and sensitivity analyses generally yielded similar results. Conclusion: An improvement in PM2.5 pollution exposure was associated with an attenuated decline in lung function parameters of FEV1, FVC, MEF25-75, and FEV1/FVC, and a decreased risk of COPD development. Our findings suggest that strategies aimed at reducing air pollution may effectively combat the risk of COPD development.

KW - Air quality improvement

KW - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

KW - Cohort

KW - Lung function

KW - Particulate matter

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85109184153

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85109184153#tab=impact

U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106706

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106706

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

C2 - 34153892

AN - SCOPUS:85109184153

SN - 0160-4120

VL - 156

JO - Environment International

JF - Environment International

M1 - 106706

ER -