Coronary disease & ACSCohort study
Air pollution before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: changes in risk of acute myocardial infarction
- Case-crossover study
- time-stratified
- nationwide database (JROAD-DPC)
Authors' conclusion
Short-term exposure to PM2.5 is associated with increased risk of AMI.
Study context
- Population
- First-admission acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, nationwide JROAD-DPC database, April 2012–March 202223,037 myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA)
- Participants
- 270,091 patients
- Exposure
- Pre-pandemic vs Post-pandemic
- Outcome
- Association (OR per 10-μg/m³ increase in PM2.5, 2-day lag) with AMI subtypes (MINOCA, MI-CAD)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
MINOCA risk per 10-μg/m³ increase in lag-2 PM2.5
Odds ratio (95% CI)
Pre-pandemic
1.303(1.005–1.688)
Per 10-μg/m³ PM2.5 increase, as printed
- Post-pandemic
- OR 1.230 (95% CI .973-1.555)
- Significant attenuation of PM2.5-related MINOCA risk post-pandemic
- P for interaction = 0.017
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Sensitivity analyses (alternative pandemic onset dates)
- Sensitivity analyses confirmed the findings
Original publication
Air pollution before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: changes in risk of acute myocardial infarction. Eur Heart J. Published 13 February 2026. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehag102
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it