Abstract
Experimental evidence and preliminary clinical evidence suggest that environmental air pollution adversely effects kidney health. Previous work has examined the association between fine particulate matter and risk of kidney disease; however, the association between ambient coarse particulate matter (PM10; ≤10 μm in aerodynamic diameter), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) and risk of incident chronic kidney disease, chronic kidney disease progression, and end-stage renal disease is not clear. We merged multiple large databases, including those of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to build a cohort of US veterans, and used survival models to evaluate the association between PM10, NO2, and CO concentrations and risk of incident estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 60 mL/min per 1·73 m2, incident chronic kidney disease, eGFR decline of 30% or more, and end-stage renal disease. We treated exposure as time-varying when it was updated annually and as cohort participants moved. Between Oct 1, 2003, and Sept 30, 2012, 2 010 398 cohort participants were followed up over a median of 8·52 years (IQR 8·05-8·80). An increased risk of eGFR of less than 60 mL/min per 1·73 m2 was associated with an IQR increase in concentrations of PM10 (hazard ratio 1·07, 95% CI 1·06-1·08), NO2 (1·09, 1·08-1·10), and CO (1·09, 1·08-1·10). An increased risk of incident chronic kidney disease was associated with an IQR increase in concentrations of PM10 (1·07, 1·05-1·08), NO2 (1·09, 1·08-1·11), and CO (1·10, 1·08-1·11). An increased risk of an eGFR decline of 30% or more was associated with an IQR increase in concentrations of PM10 (1·08, 1·07-1·09), NO2 (1·12, 1·10-1·13), and CO (1·09, 1·08-1·10). An increased risk of end-stage renal disease was associated with an IQR increase in concentrations of PM10 (1·09, 1·06-1·12), NO2 (1·09, 1·06-1·12), and CO (1·05, 1·02-1·08). Spline analyses suggested a monotonic increasing association between PM10, NO2, and CO concentrations and risk of kidney outcomes. Environmental exposure to higher concentrations of PM10, NO2, and CO is associated with increased risk of incident chronic kidney disease, eGFR decline, and end-stage renal disease. US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Highlights
Experimental evidence and observations from several small clinical research studies suggest that exposure to higher amounts of air pollution adversely affects kidney function
Adjusted incident rate of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 60 mL/min per 1·73 m2, chronic kidney disease, eGFR decline of 30% or more, and end-stage renal disease gradually increased across ordinal categories of increasing PM10, NO2, and carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations
Results of the within-city models suggested that higher concentrations of PM10, NO2, and CO within the same metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) were associated with an increased risk of eGFR of less than 60 mL/min per 1·73 m2
Summary
Experimental evidence and observations from several small clinical research studies suggest that exposure to higher amounts of air pollution adversely affects kidney function. Major air pollutants include fine particulate matter of smaller than 2·5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2·5), coarse particulate matter of smaller than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and others. Previous work has focused on the evaluation of the association between PM2·5 and kidney disease outcomes.[3] Much less is known about the association of other major pollutants and the risk of development of kidney disease and kidney function decline
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
