Association of fine-particulate and acidic-gas air pollution with premenstrual syndrome risk

Abstract

Objective: Air pollution had been reported to be associated with the reproductive health of women. However, the association of particulate matter (PM) and acid gases air pollution with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) warrants investigation. This study investigated the effects of air pollution on PMS risk.

Population: We combined data from the Taiwan Air Quality-Monitoring Database and the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. In total, an observational cohort of 85 078 Taiwanese women not diagnosed as having PMS.

Methods: Air pollutant concentrations were grouped into four levels based on the concentration quartiles of several types of air pollutants.

Main outcome measures: We then applied univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models to assess PMS risk in association with each pollutant type.

Results: Women exposed to Q4-level SO2 exhibited a 7.77 times higher PMS risk compared with those to Q1-level SO2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.22-9.71). Women exposed to Q4-level NOx exhibited a 2.86 times higher PMS risk compared with those exposed to Q1-level NOx (95% CI = 2.39-3.43). Women exposed to Q4-level NO exhibited a 3.17 times higher PMS risk compared with women exposed to Q1-level NO (95% CI = 2.68-3.75). Finally, women exposed to Q4-level PM with a ≤2.5-µm diameter (PM2.5) exhibited a 3.41 times higher PMS risk compared with those exposed to Q1-level PM2.5 (95% CI = 2.88-4.04).

Conclusions: High incidences of PMS were noted in women who lived in areas with higher concentrations of SO2, NOx, NO, NO2 and PM2.5.