Exposure-response associations between chronic exposure to fine particulate matter and risks of hospital admission for major cardiovascular diseases: population based cohort study
Main finding · Composite CVD hospital admissionResult — go to the resultRelative risk 1.29 95% CI 1.28–1.30Authors' conclusion
The findings of this study suggest that no safe threshold exists for the chronic effect of PM2.5 on overall cardiovascular health.
Study context
- Population
- Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥65 years, contiguous US, 2000–16
- Participants
- 59,761,494 beneficiaries
- Exposure
- Chronic PM2.5 exposure levels
- Outcome
- First hospital admission for ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, HF, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, valvular heart disease, thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms, or composite CVD
Methodological detailscausal framework robust against confounding and exposure measurement error
- Causal framework robust against confounding and exposure measurement error
Main finding
Composite CVD hospital admission
Relative risk
1.29
95% CI 1.28–1.30
By group
9–10 µg/m3 vs ≤5 µg/m3
RR 1.29 (95% CI 1.28–1.30)
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) subtypes
- 3-year average PM2.5 associated with increased RR of first admission for ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, HF, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, and thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms
Persistence and effect modification
- Effects persisted for at least 3 years after exposure
- Age, education, healthcare accessibility and neighborhood deprivation appeared to modify susceptibility
Original publication
Exposure-response associations between chronic exposure to fine particulate matter and risks of hospital admission for major cardiovascular diseases: population based cohort study. BMJ. Published 21 February 2024. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it