Project description:Exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) during pregnancy has been linked to lower birth weight; however, the chemical composition of PM2.5 varies widely. The health effects of PM2.5 constituents are unknown.We investigated whether PM2.5 mass, constituents, and sources are associated with birth weight for term births. PM2.5 filters collected in 3 Connecticut counties and 1 Massachusetts county from August 2000 through February 2004 were analyzed for more than 50 elements. Source apportionment was used to estimate daily contributions of PM2.5 sources, including traffic, road dust/crustal, oil combustion, salt, and regional (sulfur) sources. Gestational and trimester exposure to PM2.5 mass, constituents, and source contributions were examined in relation to birth weight and risk of small-at-term birth (term birth <2500 g) for 76,788 infants.Road dust and related constituents such as silicon and aluminum were associated with lower birth weight, as were the motor-vehicle-related species such as elemental carbon and zinc, and the oil-combustion-associated elements vanadium and nickel. An interquartile range increase in exposure was associated with low birthweight for zinc (12% increase in risk), elemental carbon (13%), silicon (10%), aluminum (11%), vanadium (8%), and nickel (11%). Analysis by trimester showed effects of third-trimester exposure to elemental carbon, nickel, vanadium, and oil-combustion PM2.5.Exposures of pregnant women to higher levels of certain PM2.5 chemical constituents originating from specific sources are associated with lower birth weight.
Project description:BackgroundParticulate matter (PM), a major component of ambient air pollution, accounts for a substantial burden of diseases and fatality worldwide. Maternal exposure to PM during pregnancy is particularly harmful to children's health since this is a phase of rapid human growth and development.MethodIn this review, we synthesize the scientific evidence on adverse health outcomes in children following prenatal exposure to the smallest toxic components, fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine (PM0.1) PM. We highlight the established and emerging findings from epidemiologic studies and experimental models.ResultsMaternal exposure to fine and ultrafine PM directly and indirectly yields numerous adverse birth outcomes and impacts on children's respiratory systems, immune status, brain development, and cardiometabolic health. The biological mechanisms underlying adverse effects include direct placental translocation of ultrafine particles, placental and systemic maternal oxidative stress and inflammation elicited by both fine and ultrafine PM, epigenetic changes, and potential endocrine effects that influence long-term health.ConclusionPolicies to reduce maternal exposure and health consequences in children should be a high priority. PM2.5 levels are regulated, yet it is recognized that minority and low socioeconomic status groups experience disproportionate exposures. Moreover, PM0.1 levels are not routinely measured or currently regulated. Consequently, preventive strategies that inform neighborhood/regional planning and clinical/nutritional recommendations are needed to mitigate maternal exposure and ultimately protect children's health.
Project description:ImportanceIncreased levels of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution are associated with increased risks for detrimental health outcomes, but risks for patients with kidney transplants (KTs) remain unknown.ObjectiveTo investigate the association of PM2.5 exposure with KT outcomes.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted using data on patients who received KTs from 2004 to 2016 who were identified in the national US transplant registry and followed up through March 2021. Multiple databases were linked to obtain data on PM2.5 concentration, KT outcomes, and patient clinical, transplant, and contextual factors. Data were analyzed from April 2020 through July 2021.ExposuresExposures included post-KT time-dependent annual mean PM2.5 level (in 10 μg/m3) and mean PM2.5 level in the year before KT (ie, baseline levels) in quartiles, as well as baseline annual mean PM2.5 level (in 10 μg/m3).Main outcomes and measuresAcute kidney rejection (ie, rejection within 1 year after KT), time to death-censored graft failure, and time to all-cause death. Multivariable logistic regression for kidney rejection and Cox analyses with nonlinear assessment of exposure-response for death-censored graft failure and all-cause death were performed. The national burden of graft failure associated with PM2.5 levels greater than the Environmental Protection Agency recommended level of 12 μg/m3 was estimated.ResultsAmong 112 098 patients with KTs, 70 522 individuals (62.9%) were older than age 50 years at the time of KT, 68 117 (60.8%) were men, and the median (IQR) follow-up was 6.0 (3.9-8.9) years. There were 37 265 Black patients (33.2%), 17 047 Hispanic patients (15.2%), 48 581 White patients [43.3%]), and 9205 patients (8.2%) of other race or ethnicity. The median (IQR) baseline PM2.5 level was 9.8 (8.3-11.9) μg/m3. Increased baseline PM2.5 level, compared with quartile 1 baseline PM2.5 level, was not associated with higher odds of acute kidney rejection for quartile 2 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.99; 95% CI, 0.92-1.06) but was associated with increased odds for quartile 3 (aOR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.20) and quartile 4 (aOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.05-1.23). Nonlinear assessment of exposure-response for graft failure and death showed no evidence for nonlinearity. Increased PM2.5 levels were associated with increased risk of death-censored graft failure (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] per 10 μg/m3 increase, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09-1.25) and all-cause death (aHR per 10 μg/m3 increase, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.14-1.28). The national burden of death-censored graft failure associated with PM2.5 above 12 μg/m3 was 57 failures (95% uncertainty interval, 48-67 failures) per year among patients with KTs.Conclusions and relevanceThis cohort study found that PM2.5 level was an independent risk factor associated with acute rejection, graft failure, and death among patients with KTs. These findings suggest that efforts toward decreasing levels of PM2.5 concentration may be associated with improved outcomes after KT.
Project description:With 2.8 billion biomass users globally, household air pollution remains a public health threat in many low- and middle-income countries. However, little evidence on pollution levels and health effects exists in low-income settings, especially slums. This study assesses the levels and sources of household air pollution in the urban slums of Nairobi. This cross-sectional study was embedded in a prospective cohort of pregnant women living in two slum areas-Korogocho and Viwandani-in Nairobi. Data on fuel and stove types and ventilation use come from 1058 households, while air quality data based on the particulate matters (PM2.5) level were collected in a sub-sample of 72 households using the DustTrak™ II Model 8532 monitor. We measured PM2.5 levels mainly during daytime and using sources of indoor air pollutions. The majority of the households used kerosene (69.7%) as a cooking fuel. In households where air quality was monitored, the mean PM2.5 levels were high and varied widely, especially during the evenings (124.6 µg/m³ SD: 372.7 in Korogocho and 82.2 µg/m³ SD: 249.9 in Viwandani), and in households using charcoal (126.5 µg/m³ SD: 434.7 in Korogocho and 75.7 µg/m³ SD: 323.0 in Viwandani). Overall, the mean PM2.5 levels measured within homes at both sites (Korogocho = 108.9 µg/m³ SD: 371.2; Viwandani = 59.3 µg/m³ SD: 234.1) were high. Residents of the two slums are exposed to high levels of PM2.5 in their homes. We recommend interventions, especially those focusing on clean cookstoves and lighting fuels to mitigate indoor levels of fine particles.
Project description:BackgroundConsiderable attention has been paid to reproductive toxicity of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). However, the relationship between prenatal PM2.5 exposure and anogenital distance (AGD) has not been well studied. We aim to investigate the potential effects of prenatal exposure to PM2.5 on newborn AGD.MethodsPrenatal PM2.5 exposure of 2332 participates in Shanghai (2013-2016) was estimated using high-performance machine learning models. Anoscrotal distance (AGDas) in male infants and anofourchette distance (AGDaf) in female infants were measured by well-trained examiners within 3 days after birth. We applied multiple linear regression models and multiple informant models to estimate the association between prenatal PM2.5 exposure and AGD.ResultsMultiple linear regression models showed that a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure during full pregnancy, the second and third trimesters was inversely associated with AGDas (adjusted beta = - 1.76, 95% CI: - 2.21, - 1.31; - 0.73, 95% CI: - 1.06, - 0.40; and - 0.52; 95% CI: - 0.87, - 0.18, respectively) in males. A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure during the full pregnancy, the first, second, and third trimesters was inversely associated with AGDaf (adjusted beta = - 4.55; 95% CI: - 5.18, - 3.92; - 0.78; 95% CI: - 1.10, - 0.46; - 1.11; 95% CI: - 1.46, - 0.77; - 1.45; 95% CI: - 1.78, - 1.12, respectively) in females after adjusting for potential confounders. Multiple informant models showed consistent but slightly attenuated associations.ConclusionOur study observed a significant association between gestational PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy and shortened AGD in newborns, and provided new evidence on potential reproductive toxicity of prenatal PM2.5 exposure.
Project description:Increasing evidence exists for an association between early life fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and several neurodevelopmental outcomes, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, the association between PM2.5 and adaptive and cognitive function remains poorly understood. Participants included 658 children with ASD, 771 with a non-ASD developmental disorder, and 849 population controls from the Study to Explore Early Development. Adaptive functioning was assessed in ASD cases using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS); cognitive functioning was assessed in all groups using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). A satellite-based model was used to assign PM2.5 exposure averages during pregnancy, each trimester, and the first year of life. Linear regression was used to estimate beta coefficients and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for maternal age, education, prenatal tobacco use, race-ethnicity, study site, and season of birth. PM2.5 exposure was associated with poorer VABS scores for several domains, including daily living skills and socialization. Associations were present between prenatal PM2.5 and lower MSEL scores for all groups combined; results were most prominent for population controls in stratified analyses. These data suggest that early life PM2.5 exposure is associated with specific aspects of cognitive and adaptive functioning in children with and without ASD.
Project description:Air pollution exposure during pregnancy has been associated with impaired fetal growth and postnatal weight gain, but few studies have examined the effect on weight growth trajectories. We examine the association between validated 1 km2 resolution particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations, averaged over pregnancy, and sex-specific growth trajectories from birth to age six of participants in the Boston-based Children's HealthWatch cohort (4797 participants, 84,283 measures). We compared weight trajectories, predicted using polynomial splines in mixed models, between prenatal PM2.5 above or below the median (9.5 µg/m3), and examined birth weight as an effect modifier. Females exposed to average prenatal PM2.5 ≥ 9.5 µg/m3 had higher weights compared to females exposed to < 9.5 µg/m3 throughout the study period (0.16 kg at 24 months, 0.61 kg at 60 months). In males, higher prenatal PM2.5 exposure was associated with significantly lower weights after 24 months of age, with differences increasing with time (-0.17 at 24 months, -0.72 kg at 60 months). Associations were more pronounced among low birth weight (<2500 g) females, but did not differ by birth weight status in males. Our findings demonstrate the complex association between air pollution exposures and childhood weight trajectories and emphasize the importance of sex-stratified analyses.
Project description:Background: The IGF2 (insulin-like growth factor 2) and H19 gene cluster plays an important role during pregnancy as it promotes both foetal and placental growth. We investigated the association between cord blood DNA methylation status of the IGF2/H19 gene cluster and maternal fine particulate matter exposure during fetal life. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the association between prenatal PM2.5 exposure and newborn DNA methylation of the IGF2/H19.Methods: Cord blood DNA methylation status of IGF2/H19 cluster was measured in 189 mother-newborn pairs from the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort (Flanders, Belgium). We assessed the sex-specific association between residential PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy and the methylation level of CpG loci mapping to the IGF2/H19 cluster, and identified prenatal vulnerability by investigating susceptible time windows of exposure. We also addressed the biological functionality of DNA methylation level in the gene cluster.Results: Prenatal PM2.5 exposure was found to have genetic region-specific significant association with IGF2 and H19 during specific gestational weeks. The association was found to be sex-specific in both gene regions. Functionality of the DNA methylation was annotated by the association to fetal growth and cellular pathways.Conclusions: The results of our study provided evidence that prenatal PM2.5 exposure is associated with DNA methylation in newborns' IGF2/H19. The consequences within the context of fetal development of future phenotyping should be addressed.
Project description:Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) during pregnancy is associated with high risks of birth defects/fatality and adverse long-term postnatal health. However, limited mechanistic data are available to assess the detailed impacts of prenatal PM exposure. Here we evaluate fine PM exposure during pregnancy on prenatal/postnatal organogenesis in offspring and in predisposing metabolic syndrome for adult life. Between days 0 and 18 of gestation, two groups of adult female rats (n = 10 for each) were placed in a dual-exposure chamber device, one with clean ambient air (∼3 µg·m-3) and the other with ambient air in the presence of 100 to 200 µg·m-3 of ultrafine aerosols of ammonium sulfate. At birth (postnatal day 0, PND0), four males and four females were selected randomly from each litter to be nursed by dams, whereas tissues were collected from the remaining pups. At PND21, tissues were collected from two males and two females, whereas the remaining pups were fed either a high- or low-fat diet until PND105, when tissues were obtained for biochemical and physiological analyses. Maternal exposure to fine PM increased stillbirths; reduced gestation length and birth weight; increased concentrations of glucose and free fatty acids in plasma; enhanced lipid accumulation in the liver; and decreased endothelium-dependent relaxation of aorta. This lead to altered organogenesis and predisposed progeny to long-term metabolic defects in an age-, organ-, and sex-specific manner. Our results highlight the necessity to develop therapeutic strategies to remedy adverse health effects of maternal PM exposure on conceptus/postnatal growth and development.
Project description:Air pollution is currently one of the greatest threats to global health. Polish cities are among the most heavily polluted in Europe. Due to air pollution 43,100 people die prematurely in Poland every year. However, these data do not take into account the health consequences of air pollution for unborn children. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the fine particulate matter air pollution (less than 2.5 μm in diameter) on pregnancy outcomes. An analysis of pregnant women and their children was made using a questionnaire survey from a nationwide study conducted in 2017. Questionnaires from 1095 pregnant women and data from their medical records were collected. An analysis of air pollution in Poland was conducted using the air quality database maintained by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Poland. A higher concentration of PM2.5 was associated with a decrease in birth weight and a higher risk of low birthweight (i.e., <2500 g). We also observed lower APGAR scores. Thus, all possible efforts to reduce air pollution are critically needed.