Association between ambient air pollutants and lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Chun Wang; Xing-Chen Meng; Chao Huang; Jia Wang; Ying-Hao Liao; Yang Huang; Ran Liu

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115140

Association between ambient air pollutants and lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2023 Jun 20:262:115140. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115140. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chun Wang¹, Xing-Chen Meng¹, Chao Huang¹, Jia Wang¹, Ying-Hao Liao¹, Yang Huang¹, Ran Liu²

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
² Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China. Electronic address: ranliu@seu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37348216
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115140

Abstract

Background: Studies of the effects of atmospheric pollutants on lipid profiles remain inconsistent and controversial.

Aim: The study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the exposure to ambient air pollutants and variations in the blood lipid profiles in the population.

Methods: A comprehensive search of three different databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) until December 17, 2022, yielded 17 origional studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria for a meta-analysis. Aggregate effect measures and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the relevant ambient air pollutants were deduced employing random effects models.

Results: The collective meta-analysis indicated that long-term exposure to PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀ and CO showed a substantial correlation with TC (PM₁: β = 2.04, 95%CI = 0.15-3.94; PM_2.5: β = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.39-1.84; PM₁₀: β = 1.70, 95%CI = 0.67-2.73; CO: β = 0.08, 95%CI = 0.06-0.10), PM₁₀ exhibited a significant association with TG (β = 0. 537,95% CI = 0.09-0.97), whereas HDL-C demonstrated notable relationships with PM₁, PM₁₀, SO₂ and CO (PM₁: β = -2.38, 95%CI = -4.00 to -2.76; PM₁₀: β = -0.77, 95%CI = -1.33 to -0.21; SO₂: β = -0.91, 95%CI = -1.73 to -0.10; CO: β = -0.03, 95%CI = -0.05 to 0.00). PM_2.5, PM₁₀ also showed significant associations with LDL-C (PM_2.5: β = 1.44 95%CI = 0.48-2.40; PM₁₀: β = 1.62 95%CI = 0.90-2.34). Subgroup analysis revealed significant or stronger correlations predominantly in cohort study designs, with higher male comparisons, and in regions exhibiting elevated contaminant levels.

Conclusion: In summary, the analysis substantiates that ambient air pollutants can be recognized as potent contributors to alterations in lipid profiles, particularly particulate pollutants which exert more obvious effects on lipid profiles.

Keywords: Gaseous pollutants; Lipid profile; Meta-analysis; Particulate matter.

Publication types

Review