A systematic review of air quality levels and SLE rates among developed and developing countries
Abstract
Abstract:
Research on the impact of air pollution on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients worldwide has consistently shown a correlation between high pollution levels and increased health complications. This includes more hospitalizations and disease activity in SLE patients, particularly in areas with poor air quality management practices.
The presence of harmful substances (i.e. particulate matter, nitrates, lead, carbon monoxide, and ozone) in the air pose health risks for SLE patients. Prolonged exposure to air pollution can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress, exacerbating conditions like SLE and impacting various organs.
Developing countries tend to have higher SLE incidence rates due to elevated gas and particle levels in the air, emphasizing the need for protective measures. Exposure to pollutants, such as PM2.5, PM10, SO₂, NO₂, and ozone, is associated with increased inflammatory markers and disease activity in SLE patients.
Overall, this research highlights the importance of monitoring and improving air quality to reduce the health risks and mortality rates associated with SLE, particularly in developing countries facing economic challenges in managing pollution levels.
References
Adami, G., et al. (2022) Association between long-term exposure to air pollution and immune-mediated diseases: a population-based cohort study. RMD Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2021-002055
Tang KT, Ben-Jei Tsuang, Kai Chen Ku, Chen YP, Lin CH, Chen DY. Relationship between exposure to air pollutants and development of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a nationwide population-based case-control study. 2019; 78(9):1288-1291. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-215230
Fernandes EC, Silva CA, Braga ALF, Sallum AME, Campos LMA, Farhat SCL. Exposure to Air Pollutants and Disease Activity in Juvenile-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients. Arthritis Care & Research. 2015;67(11):1609-1614. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22603
WHO/Europe | Home. www.who.int. Accessed June 19, 2023. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/
Vidotto J, Pereira L, Braga A, et al. Atmospheric pollution: influence on hospital admissions in paediatric rheumatic diseases. Lupus. 2012;21 (5):526-533. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0961203312437806
Zhao C, Mei Y, Wu G, et al. Effect of air pollution on hospital admissions for systemic lupus erythematosus in Bengbu, China: a time series study. 2019;28 (13):1541-1548. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0961203319882503
Durcan L, O’Dwyer T, Petri M. Management strategies and future directions for systemic lupus erythematosus in adults. Lancet (London, England). 2019;393 (10188):2332-2343. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30237-5
Moher D, Shamseer L, Clarke M, et al. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 Statement. Systematic Reviews. 2015;4 (1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-4-1
Pfau JC, Brown JM, Holian A. Silica-exposed mice generate autoantibodies to apoptotic cells. Toxicology. 2004;195(2-3):167-176. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2003.09.011 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2003.09.011
Bates MA, Brandenberger C, Langohr I, et al. Silica Triggers Inflammation and Ectopic Lymphoid Neogenesis in the Lungs in Parallel with Accelerated Onset of Systemic Autoimmunity and Glomerulonephritis in the Lupus-Prone NZBWF1 Mouse. PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0125481. Published 2015 May 15. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125481 https://doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0125481
World Health Organization (WHO). “Billions of people still breathe unhealthy air: new WHO data.” News release, 4 April 2022
Fiorito G, Vlaanderen J, Polidoro S, et al. Oxidative stress and inflammation mediate the effect of air pollution on cardio- and cerebrovascular disease: A prospective study in nonsmokers. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. 2017;59(3):234-246. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/em.22153
Thompson AMS, Zanobetti A, Silverman F, et al. Baseline repeated measures from controlled human exposure studies: associations between ambient air pollution exposure and the systemic inflammatory biomarkers IL-6 and fibrinogen. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2010;118(1):120-124. doi: https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0900550
Gawda A, Majka G, Nowak B, Marcinkiewicz J. Air pollution, oxidative stress, and exacerbation of autoimmune diseases. Cent Eur J Immunol. 2017;42(3):305-312. doi:10.5114/ceji.2017.70975 https://doi.org/10.5114/ceji.2017.70975
Cakmak S, Blanco-Vidal C, Lukina AO, Dales R. The association between air pollution and hospitalization for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in Chile: A daily time series analysis. Environmental Research. 2021;192:110469. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110469
Jung CR, Chung WT, Chen WT, Lee RY, Hwang BF. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and systemic lupus erythematosus in Taiwan: A cohort study. The Science of the Total Environment. 2019;668:342-349. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.018
Finckh A, Cooper GS, Chibnik LB, et al. Occupational silica and solvent exposures and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus in urban women. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54(11):3648-3654. doi:10.1002/art.22210 https://doi.org/10.1002/art.22210
Bernatsky S, Fournier M, Pineau CA, Clarke AE, Vinet E, Smargiassi A. Associations between ambient fine particulate levels and disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Environ Health Perspect. 2011;119(1):45-49. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002123 https://doi.org/10.1289%2Fehp.1002123
Brook, R. D. (2009). Cardiovascular effects of air pollution. Clinical Science, 115(6), 175-187. doi: 10.1042/CS20080345
The Lancet (2015). Outdoor air pollution: Assessing the environmental burden of disease at national and local levels. Retrieved from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)62170-0/fulltext62170-0/fulltext
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 The Scholarly Society of America
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.