Air pollution is linked to cognitive decline independent of hypersensitive C-reactive protein: insights from middle-aged and older Chinese.

Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101147645 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1476-069X (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 1476069X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Environ Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, [2002-

C-Reactive Protein*/analysis ; Cognitive Dysfunction*/epidemiology ; Cognitive Dysfunction*/chemically induced ; Cognitive Dysfunction*/etiology ; Cognitive Dysfunction*/blood ; Air Pollution*/adverse effects ; Air Pollution*/analysis ; Air Pollutants*/analysis ; Air Pollutants*/adverse effects ; Particulate Matter*/analysis ; Particulate Matter*/adverse effects ; Environmental Exposure*/adverse effects; Humans ; China/epidemiology ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Longitudinal Studies ; Nitrogen Dioxide/analysis ; Nitrogen Dioxide/adverse effects ; Ozone/analysis ; Ozone/adverse effects ; Aged, 80 and over ; East Asian People

Background: Long-term air pollution exposure and inflammation are considered to be associated with cognitive decline. However, whether air pollution exposure related cognitive decline is dependent on inflammation remains uncertain.
Materials and Methods: The present study collected data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) at baseline in 2011, with a follow up period in 2015. Concentration of air pollutants (particles with diameters ≤ 1.0 μm [PM 1 ], ≤ 2.5 μm [PM 2.5 ], ≤ 10 μm [PM 10 ], nitrogen dioxide [NO 2 ] and ozone [O 3 ]) were obtained from China High Air Pollutants (CHAP) dataset. Hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a systemic inflammation marker, was measured in blood of subjects and cognitive function was assessed by standardized questionnaire.
Results: A total of 6434 participants were included in the study. Lower exposure to PM 2.5 , PM 1 , PM 10 and NO 2 were associated with mitigated cognitive decline. The odds ratios (ORs) for air pollutants changes and cognitive decline and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were as follows: PM 2.5 -0.934(0.925, 0.943), PM 1 - 0.945 (0.935,0.955), PM 10 -0.977(0.972,0.982) and NO 2 -0.962(0.950,0.975), respectively. Hs-CRP showed no significant correlation with cognitive decline or change in levels of air pollution. The interaction regression analyses, both unadjusted and adjusted, did not uncover any significant correlation between hs-CRP and air pollution with respect to cognitive decline. Bootstrap test exhibited no significant mediating effect of hs-CRP on the relationship between any air pollutants and cognitive decline, the indirect effects of hs-CRP in conjunction with exposure to different air pollutants were all found to be non-significant, with the following bootstrap CIs and p-values: PM 2.5 -1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.480),PM 1 -1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.230),PM 10 -1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.650), O 3 -1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.470), ΔNO 2 -1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.830) .
Conclusion: Ambient air pollution exposure was linked to cognitive decline independent of hs-CRP level.
Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by Ethics Review Committee of Peking University. All subjects provided informed consent. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)

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No. 2020B1111170011 Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, China; No. XZ202201ZY0051G Science and Technology Project of Tibet Autonomous Region

Keywords: Air pollution; CHARLS; Cognitive function; Hypersensitive C-reactive protein; Particulate matter; Systemic inflammation

9007-41-4 (C-Reactive Protein)
0 (Air Pollutants)
0 (Particulate Matter)
S7G510RUBH (Nitrogen Dioxide)
66H7ZZK23N (Ozone)

Date Created: 20241220 Date Completed: 20241221 Latest Revision: 20241231

20241231

10.1186/s12940-024-01148-1

39707297