tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Cardiovasc Res
. 2020 Oct 27;cvaa288.
doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa288. Online ahead of print.
Regional and global contributions of air pollution to risk of death from COVID-19
Andrea Pozzer[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Francesca Dominici[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Andy Haines[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Christian Witt[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Thomas M?nzel[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Jos Lelieveld[SUP] 2 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Aims: The risk of mortality from the coronavirus disease that emerged in 2019 (COVID-19) is increased by comorbidity from cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Air pollution also causes excess mortality from these conditions. Analysis of the first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) outcomes in 2003, and preliminary investigations of those for SARS-CoV-2 since 2019, provide evidence that the incidence and severity are related to ambient air pollution. We estimated the fraction of COVID-19 mortality that is attributable to the long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate air pollution.
Methods and results: We characterized global exposure to fine particulates based on satellite data, and calculated the anthropogenic fraction with an atmospheric chemistry model. The degree to which air pollution influences COVID-19 mortality was derived from epidemiological data in the USA and China. We estimate that particulate air pollution contributed ∼15% (95% confidence interval 7-33%) to COVID-19 mortality worldwide, 27% (13 - 46%) in East Asia, 19% (8-41%) in Europe, and 17% (6-39%) in North America. Globally, ∼50-60% of the attributable, anthropogenic fraction is related to fossil fuel use, up to 70-80% in Europe, West Asia, and North America.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that air pollution is an important cofactor increasing the risk of mortality from COVID-19. This provides extra motivation for combining ambitious policies to reduce air pollution with measures to control the transmission of COVID-19.
Keywords: Air pollution; COVID-19; Fine particulate matter; comorbidity; mortality.
. 2020 Oct 27;cvaa288.
doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa288. Online ahead of print.
Regional and global contributions of air pollution to risk of death from COVID-19
Andrea Pozzer[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Francesca Dominici[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Andy Haines[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Christian Witt[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Thomas M?nzel[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Jos Lelieveld[SUP] 2 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33236040
- DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa288
Abstract
Aims: The risk of mortality from the coronavirus disease that emerged in 2019 (COVID-19) is increased by comorbidity from cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Air pollution also causes excess mortality from these conditions. Analysis of the first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) outcomes in 2003, and preliminary investigations of those for SARS-CoV-2 since 2019, provide evidence that the incidence and severity are related to ambient air pollution. We estimated the fraction of COVID-19 mortality that is attributable to the long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate air pollution.
Methods and results: We characterized global exposure to fine particulates based on satellite data, and calculated the anthropogenic fraction with an atmospheric chemistry model. The degree to which air pollution influences COVID-19 mortality was derived from epidemiological data in the USA and China. We estimate that particulate air pollution contributed ∼15% (95% confidence interval 7-33%) to COVID-19 mortality worldwide, 27% (13 - 46%) in East Asia, 19% (8-41%) in Europe, and 17% (6-39%) in North America. Globally, ∼50-60% of the attributable, anthropogenic fraction is related to fossil fuel use, up to 70-80% in Europe, West Asia, and North America.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that air pollution is an important cofactor increasing the risk of mortality from COVID-19. This provides extra motivation for combining ambitious policies to reduce air pollution with measures to control the transmission of COVID-19.
Keywords: Air pollution; COVID-19; Fine particulate matter; comorbidity; mortality.