Long-term air pollution exposure and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection: A UK-wide cohort study

Hajar  Hajmohammadi; Mohammad Talaei; Daniela Fecht; Weiyi  Wang; Giulia Vivaldi; Sian E. Faustini; Alex G. Richter; Seif O. Shaheen; Adrian R. Martineau; Aziz Sheikh; Ian S. Mudway; Christopher J. Griffiths

doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107567

Long-term air pollution exposure and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection: A UK-wide cohort study

Hajar Hajmohammadi^*
, Mohammad Talaei
, Daniela Fecht
, Weiyi Wang
, Giulia Vivaldi
, Sian E. Faustini
, Alex G. Richter
, Seif O. Shaheen
, Adrian R. Martineau
, Aziz Sheikh
, Ian S. Mudway
, Christopher J. Griffiths

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: The association between air quality and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is poorly understood. We investigated this association using serological individual-level data adjusting for a wide range of confounders, in a large population-based cohort (COVIDENCE UK).

Methods: We assessed the associations between long-term (2015–19) nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5), exposures with SARS-CoV-2 infection, level of antibody response among those infected, and COVID-19 disease severity. We used serological data from 10,489 participants in the COVIDENCE UK cohort, and estimated annual average air pollution exposure at each participant's home postcode.

Results: After controlling for potential confounders, we found a positive association between 5-year NO₂ and PM_2.5 exposures and the risk of seropositivity: 10 unit increase in NO₂ (μg/m³) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.092 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.17; p-for-trend 0.012). For PM_2.5, 10 unit increase (μg/m³) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.65 (95% CI 1.015–2.68; p-for-trend 0·049). In addition, we found that NO₂ was positively associated with higher antibody titres (p-for-trend 0·013) among seropositive participants, with no evidence of an association for PM_2.5.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the long-term burden of air pollution increased the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and has important implications for future pandemic preparedness. This evidence strengthens the case for reducing long-term air pollution exposures to reduce the vulnerability of individuals to respiratory viruses.

Original language	English
Article number	107567
Number of pages	8
Journal	Respiratory Medicine
Volume	224
Early online date	27 Feb 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107567
Publication status	Published - Apr 2024

Keywords

Air pollution
COVID-19
logistic regression
UK-Wide cohort

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10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107567

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0954611124000416

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@article{857e6eed215f4d22ab5c31dbd950110f,

title = "Long-term air pollution exposure and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection: A UK-wide cohort study",

abstract = "Background: The association between air quality and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is poorly understood. We investigated this association using serological individual-level data adjusting for a wide range of confounders, in a large population-based cohort (COVIDENCE UK). Methods: We assessed the associations between long-term (2015–19) nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), exposures with SARS-CoV-2 infection, level of antibody response among those infected, and COVID-19 disease severity. We used serological data from 10,489 participants in the COVIDENCE UK cohort, and estimated annual average air pollution exposure at each participant's home postcode. Results: After controlling for potential confounders, we found a positive association between 5-year NO2 and PM2.5 exposures and the risk of seropositivity: 10 unit increase in NO2 (μg/m3) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.092 (95\% CI 1.02 to 1.17; p-for-trend 0.012). For PM2.5, 10 unit increase (μg/m3) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.65 (95\% CI 1.015–2.68; p-for-trend 0·049). In addition, we found that NO2 was positively associated with higher antibody titres (p-for-trend 0·013) among seropositive participants, with no evidence of an association for PM2.5. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the long-term burden of air pollution increased the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and has important implications for future pandemic preparedness. This evidence strengthens the case for reducing long-term air pollution exposures to reduce the vulnerability of individuals to respiratory viruses. ",

keywords = "Air pollution, COVID-19, logistic regression, UK-Wide cohort",

author = "Hajar Hajmohammadi and Mohammad Talaei and Daniela Fecht and Weiyi Wang and Giulia Vivaldi and Faustini, \{Sian E.\} and Richter, \{Alex G.\} and Shaheen, \{Seif O.\} and Martineau, \{Adrian R.\} and Aziz Sheikh and Mudway, \{Ian S.\} and Griffiths, \{Christopher J.\}",

year = "2024",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107567",

language = "English",

volume = "224",

journal = "Respiratory Medicine",

issn = "0954-6111",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term air pollution exposure and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection

T2 - A UK-wide cohort study

AU - Hajmohammadi, Hajar

AU - Talaei, Mohammad

AU - Fecht, Daniela

AU - Wang, Weiyi

AU - Vivaldi, Giulia

AU - Faustini, Sian E.

AU - Richter, Alex G.

AU - Shaheen, Seif O.

AU - Martineau, Adrian R.

AU - Sheikh, Aziz

AU - Mudway, Ian S.

AU - Griffiths, Christopher J.

PY - 2024/4

Y1 - 2024/4

N2 - Background: The association between air quality and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is poorly understood. We investigated this association using serological individual-level data adjusting for a wide range of confounders, in a large population-based cohort (COVIDENCE UK). Methods: We assessed the associations between long-term (2015–19) nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), exposures with SARS-CoV-2 infection, level of antibody response among those infected, and COVID-19 disease severity. We used serological data from 10,489 participants in the COVIDENCE UK cohort, and estimated annual average air pollution exposure at each participant's home postcode. Results: After controlling for potential confounders, we found a positive association between 5-year NO2 and PM2.5 exposures and the risk of seropositivity: 10 unit increase in NO2 (μg/m3) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.092 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.17; p-for-trend 0.012). For PM2.5, 10 unit increase (μg/m3) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.65 (95% CI 1.015–2.68; p-for-trend 0·049). In addition, we found that NO2 was positively associated with higher antibody titres (p-for-trend 0·013) among seropositive participants, with no evidence of an association for PM2.5. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the long-term burden of air pollution increased the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and has important implications for future pandemic preparedness. This evidence strengthens the case for reducing long-term air pollution exposures to reduce the vulnerability of individuals to respiratory viruses.

AB - Background: The association between air quality and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is poorly understood. We investigated this association using serological individual-level data adjusting for a wide range of confounders, in a large population-based cohort (COVIDENCE UK). Methods: We assessed the associations between long-term (2015–19) nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), exposures with SARS-CoV-2 infection, level of antibody response among those infected, and COVID-19 disease severity. We used serological data from 10,489 participants in the COVIDENCE UK cohort, and estimated annual average air pollution exposure at each participant's home postcode. Results: After controlling for potential confounders, we found a positive association between 5-year NO2 and PM2.5 exposures and the risk of seropositivity: 10 unit increase in NO2 (μg/m3) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.092 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.17; p-for-trend 0.012). For PM2.5, 10 unit increase (μg/m3) was associated with an increasing risk of seropositivity by 1.65 (95% CI 1.015–2.68; p-for-trend 0·049). In addition, we found that NO2 was positively associated with higher antibody titres (p-for-trend 0·013) among seropositive participants, with no evidence of an association for PM2.5. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the long-term burden of air pollution increased the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and has important implications for future pandemic preparedness. This evidence strengthens the case for reducing long-term air pollution exposures to reduce the vulnerability of individuals to respiratory viruses.

KW - Air pollution

KW - COVID-19

KW - logistic regression

KW - UK-Wide cohort

U2 - 10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107567

DO - 10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107567

M3 - Article

SN - 0954-6111

VL - 224

JO - Respiratory Medicine

JF - Respiratory Medicine

M1 - 107567

ER -

Long-term air pollution exposure and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection: A UK-wide cohort study

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Keywords

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