Long-term ambient PM₁₀ concentrations and incidence of emphysema in California adults: results from the AHSMOG study

Abstract

In this paper, we evaluate the relationship between long-term concentrations of particulate matter of 10 micrometers or less (PM₁₀) and risk of emphysema in California adults. A cohort of 6338 non-Hispanic, white Californian adults, ages 27–95, was followed from 1977 to 2000 for various chronic disease outcomes including physician diagnosed emphysema. Monthly ambient air pollution data were interpolated to zip code centroids according to home and work location histories and averaged over time. Results showed a significant association between mean concentration of PM₁₀ and incidence of emphysema in females with an OR of 1.37 (95% CI: 1.11–1.69) for each increase of 10 μg/m³ in mean PM₁₀. In addition, we observed significant associations between incidence of emphysema and each 40-day increment of ambient PM₁₀ levels in excess of 40, 60, 80 and 100 μg/m³ in females. Our findings suggest that chronic exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with development of emphysema in females.

Keywords:

• Air pollution
• Emphysema
• Particulate matter
• Ozone

Acknowledgements

This work was performed at Loma Linda University, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, with support from the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA): US Environmental Protection Agency cooperative agreement; California Air Resources Board Contract; and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences grant [Grants 1-R01-ES06379-01). The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Notes

aVegetarian if meat intake none or < 1 time/week. Non-vegetarian, if meat intake > = 1/week.

^aAdjusted for: age, sex, education and pack years smoking.

^aAdjusted for: age, sex, education and pack years smoking. Abbreviations: PM₁₀ = particles less than 10 μm; μg/m³ = micrograms per cubic meter; CI, 95% confidence interval; SE, standard error.

^bAverage annual hours in excess of 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppb.

^aAdjusted for: age, education and smoke pack years. Abbreviations: PM_{10 =} particles less than 10 μm; μg/m³=micrograms per cubic meter; CI, 95% confidence interval; SE, standard error.

^bAverage annual hours in excess of 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppb.