Differentiating the impact of fine and coarse particulate matter on cause-specific cerebrovascular mortality: An...

Many studies suggested that short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and coarse particulate matter (PM_2.5-10) was linked to elevated risk of cerebrovascular disease. However, little is known about the potentially differential effects of PM_2.5 and PM_2.5-10 on various types of cerebrovascular disease.

We collected individual cerebrovascular death records for all residents in Shanghai, China from 2005 to 2021. Residential daily air pollution data were predicted from a satellite model. The associations between particulate matters (PM) and cerebrovascular mortality were investigated by an individual-level, time-stratified, case-crossover design. The data was analyzed by the conditional logistic regression combined with the distributed lag model with a maximum lag of 7 days. Furthermore, we explored the effect modifications by sex, age and season.

A total of 388,823 cerebrovascular deaths were included. Monotonous increases were observed for mortality of all cerebrovascular diseases except for hemorrhagic stroke. A 10 μg/m³ rise in PM_2.5 was related to rises of 1.35% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04%, 1.66%] in mortality of all cerebrovascular diseases, 1.84% (95% CI: 1.25%, 2.44%) in ischemic stroke, 1.53% (95% CI: 1.07%, 1.99%) in cerebrovascular sequelae and 1.56% (95% CI: 1.08%, 2.05%) in ischemic stroke sequelae. The excess risk estimates per each 10 μg/m³ rise in PM_2.5-10 were 1.47% (95% CI: 1.10%, 1.84%), 1.53% (95% CI: 0.83%, 2.24%), 1.93% (95% CI: 1.38%, 2.49%) and 2.22% (95% CI: 1.64%, 2.81%), respectively. The associations of both pollutants with all cerebrovascular outcomes were robust after controlling for co-pollutants. The associations were greater in females, individuals > 80 years, and during the warm season.

Short-term exposures to both PM_2.5 and PM_2.5-10 may independently increase the mortality risk of cerebrovascular diseases, particularly of ischemic stroke and stroke sequelae.