Abstract
Existing evidence suggests that exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) causes various adverse health outcomes through systemic inflammation. We explored the association between PM exposure and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in a Korean population. This cross-sectional study included a representative sample of 21,154 Korean individuals, linked to modeled air quality data from 2015 to 2018. Concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were estimated for 1-week (short-term), 2-month, 4-month, 6-month (medium-term), and 1-year (long-term) moving averages before the survey date for each participant. The association between log-transformed hs-CRP levels and PM exposure was assessed using linear regression. The effect sizes were expressed as percent changes with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The percent change (95% CI) in hs-CRP levels per a 10-μm/m3 increase in PM10, according to moving averages, was 0.47 (−1.13, 2.10) for 1-week, 4.87 (2.50, 7.29) for 2-month, 8.21 (4.89, 11.64) for 4-month, 11.26 (6.81, 15.89) for 6-month, and 7.15 (2.54, 11.98) for 1-year. The percent change (95% CI) in hs-CRP levels per a 10-μm/m3 increase in PM2.5, according to moving averages, was 0.66 (−2.38, 3.79) for 1-week, 7.51 (2.86, 12.36) for 2-month, 14.26 (8.23, 20.62) for 4-month, 20.29 (12.42, 28.70) for 6-month, and 17.76 (8.51, 27.79) for 1-year. The relationship between PM exposure and hs-CRP levels remained independent even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and other co-pollutants. Exposure to PM10 and PM2.5, particularly over longer periods, showed positive association with hs-CRP levels in Korean adults. These findings highlight the necessity for policy efforts aimed at enhancing air quality and mitigating the health impacts of PM exposure.
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