tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Arch Med Sci
. 2020 May 13;16(5):985-992.
doi: 10.5114/aoms.2020.95336. eCollection 2020.
Particulate matter pollution and the COVID-19 outbreak: results from Italian regions and provinces
Vanessa Bianconi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Paola Bronzo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maciej Banach[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Amirhossein Sahebkar[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Massimo R Mannarino[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Matteo Pirro[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Introduction: Particulate matter exposure has been associated with the appearance and severity of several diseases, including viral infections. The aim of this study was to investigate whether coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths across Italian regions and provinces in March 2020 were linked to past exposure to fine and coarse particulate matter (namely, PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB] and PM[SUB]10[/SUB], respectively).
Material and methods: Geographical distributions of COVID-19 cases and deaths (105,792 and 12,428, respectively, up to 31[SUP]st[/SUP] March 2020), PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB] and PM[SUB]10[/SUB] exposure, and demographic characteristics were extracted from publicly accessible databases. Adjusted regression models were performed to test the association between particulate matter exposure in different Italian regions and provinces and COVID-19 incidence proportions and death rates.
Results: A heterogeneous distribution of COVID-19 cases/deaths and particulate matter exposure was observed in Italy, with the highest numbers in Northern Italy regions and provinces. Independent associations between regional PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB]/PM[SUB]10[/SUB] exposure and COVID-19 incidence proportion and death rate were observed (COVID-19 incidence proportion: β = 0.71, p = 0.003, β = 0.61, p = 0.031, respectively; COVID-19 death rate: β = 0.68, p = 0.004 and β = 0.61, p = 0.029, respectively). Similarly, PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB]/PM[SUB]10[/SUB] exposures were independently associated with COVID-19 incidence proportion (β = 0.26, p = 0.024 and β = 0.27, p = 0.006, respectively) at the provincial level. The number of days exceeding the provincial limit value of exposure to PM[SUB]10[/SUB] (50 ?g/m[SUP]3[/SUP]) was also independently associated with the COVID-19 incidence proportion (β = 0.30, p = 0.008).
Conclusions: Exposure to PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB] and PM[SUB]10[/SUB] is associated with COVID-19 cases and deaths, suggesting that particulate matter pollution may play a role in the COVID-19 outbreak and explain the heterogeneous distribution of COVID-19 in Italian regions and provinces.
Keywords: PM10; PM2.5; SARS-CoV-2; deaths; incidence.
. 2020 May 13;16(5):985-992.
doi: 10.5114/aoms.2020.95336. eCollection 2020.
Particulate matter pollution and the COVID-19 outbreak: results from Italian regions and provinces
Vanessa Bianconi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Paola Bronzo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maciej Banach[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Amirhossein Sahebkar[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Massimo R Mannarino[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Matteo Pirro[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32863986
- PMCID: PMC7444704
- DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2020.95336
Abstract
Introduction: Particulate matter exposure has been associated with the appearance and severity of several diseases, including viral infections. The aim of this study was to investigate whether coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths across Italian regions and provinces in March 2020 were linked to past exposure to fine and coarse particulate matter (namely, PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB] and PM[SUB]10[/SUB], respectively).
Material and methods: Geographical distributions of COVID-19 cases and deaths (105,792 and 12,428, respectively, up to 31[SUP]st[/SUP] March 2020), PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB] and PM[SUB]10[/SUB] exposure, and demographic characteristics were extracted from publicly accessible databases. Adjusted regression models were performed to test the association between particulate matter exposure in different Italian regions and provinces and COVID-19 incidence proportions and death rates.
Results: A heterogeneous distribution of COVID-19 cases/deaths and particulate matter exposure was observed in Italy, with the highest numbers in Northern Italy regions and provinces. Independent associations between regional PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB]/PM[SUB]10[/SUB] exposure and COVID-19 incidence proportion and death rate were observed (COVID-19 incidence proportion: β = 0.71, p = 0.003, β = 0.61, p = 0.031, respectively; COVID-19 death rate: β = 0.68, p = 0.004 and β = 0.61, p = 0.029, respectively). Similarly, PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB]/PM[SUB]10[/SUB] exposures were independently associated with COVID-19 incidence proportion (β = 0.26, p = 0.024 and β = 0.27, p = 0.006, respectively) at the provincial level. The number of days exceeding the provincial limit value of exposure to PM[SUB]10[/SUB] (50 ?g/m[SUP]3[/SUP]) was also independently associated with the COVID-19 incidence proportion (β = 0.30, p = 0.008).
Conclusions: Exposure to PM[SUB]2.5[/SUB] and PM[SUB]10[/SUB] is associated with COVID-19 cases and deaths, suggesting that particulate matter pollution may play a role in the COVID-19 outbreak and explain the heterogeneous distribution of COVID-19 in Italian regions and provinces.
Keywords: PM10; PM2.5; SARS-CoV-2; deaths; incidence.