A recent study, published on November 13, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Dr. Jeffrey Cohen from the Yale School of Medicine in the USA, reveals that individuals residing in areas with elevated air pollution levels are more prone to eczema. This correlation is drawn from a broad dataset provided by the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, which includes extensive information from hundreds of thousands of U.S. adults. The specific subset analysed in this study encompassed 286,862 participants, from whom detailed demographic, zip code, and electronic health record data were available.
The findings of this comprehensive study indicate that 12,695 participants, or 4.4%, had been diagnosed with eczema out of the analysed group. The researchers adjusted for various factors, including demographics and smoking status. They identified a strong correlation between eczema occurrence and residence in zip codes with higher concentrations of delicate particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air. Specifically, it was found that individuals were over twice as likely to suffer from eczema for each increment of 10 µm/m3 in the average PM2.5 levels.
The researchers suggest that the increased prevalence of eczema could be influenced by the impact of PM2.5 on the immune system. This aligns with the global rise in eczema cases alongside industrialisation, pointing towards a significant environmental component in the disease’s epidemiology.
In their conclusion, the study authors state that the findings underscore the profound implications of ambient air pollution on health, particularly highlighting how exposure to particulate matter significantly raises the likelihood of developing eczema in the United States. This research deepens our understanding of the environmental determinants of health. It could guide future public health policies and interventions aimed at reducing the impact of environmental pollutants on chronic health conditions.
More information: Gloria F. Chen et al, Association between fine particulate matter and eczema: A cross-sectional study of the All of Us Research Program and the Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions, PLOS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310498
Journal information: PLOS ONE Provided by PLOS
