Short-Term Exposure to PM_2.5 and O₃ Impairs Liver Function in HIV/AIDS Patients: Evidence from a Repeated...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Hepatology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Limited research exists on ambient air pollutants' impact on liver function.
• People living with HIV/AIDS (PWHA) may be more susceptible to environmental health risks.
• Hepatic enzymes are key indicators of liver health and potential injury.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between acute exposure to PM2.5 and O3 and hepatic enzyme levels in PWHA.
• To identify specific PM2.5 components contributing to liver enzyme elevation.
• To explore potential differences in vulnerability to air pollution among PWHA.

Main Methods:

• Utilized linear mixed-effect models to analyze data from 163 PWHA with regular hepatic enzyme monitoring.
• Extracted daily air pollutant concentrations (PM2.5, O3, PM2.5 components) using the Tracking of Air Pollution in China database.
• Employed weighted quantile sum regression to pinpoint PM2.5 constituents affecting hepatic enzymes.

Main Results:

• A 10 µg/m³ increase in PM2.5 correlated with elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels.
• Acute ozone (O3) exposure was linked to increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), AST, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).
• Sulfates (SO4^2-) and black carbon (BC) were identified as key PM2.5 contributors to AST elevation; O3 showed a stronger effect on ALT in female PWHA.

Conclusions:

• Short-term exposure to PM2.5 and O3 is associated with elevated hepatic enzymes in PWHA, suggesting potential hepatocellular injury.
• PWHA may exhibit increased vulnerability to the adverse effects of air pollution compared to the general population.
• Findings support targeted interventions to reduce air pollutant exposure and protect vulnerable populations like PWHA.