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New Delhi, June 24, 2022:
The risk of osteoporosis is increased with long-term exposure to high levels of PM10 and PM2.5, according to an Italian study of nearly 60,000 women, presented at the annual meeting of European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR).1
The association between long-term exposure to particulate matter and osteoporosis in 59,950 Italian women at high risk of fracture was investigated with the help of data from the DeFRAcalc79 database. DeFRAcalc79 collects nation-wide clinical, demographic and bone density data on women to estimate their risk for osteoporosis. Data regarding particular matter (PM2.5 and PM10) during 2013-2019 were obtained from the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research.
A PM exposure value was calculated for the individual participants, which was estimated from the average concentration of urban, rural, and near-traffic stations in their place of residence.
The average PM2.5 levels between 2013 and 2019 were 16.0 µg/m3, while the PM10 levels were 25.0 µg/m3. Nearly 65% of women included in the study had osteoporosis.
The chances of osteoporosis at the femoral neck and lumbar spine were significantly increased with exposure to PM10 levels of 30 µg/m3 or greater with odds ratio of 1.15 and 1.17, respectively. Similarly, the probability of osteoporosis at the femoral neck (OR 1.22) and lumbar spine (OR 1.18) was increased with exposure to PM2.5 levels of 25 µg/m3 or more.
The risk of osteoporotic T-score at any site was increased by 16% after long-term exposure to PM2.5 above 25 μg/m3 with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.16. The risk of osteoporotic T-score at any site was 15% higher after long-term exposure to PM10 above 30 μg/m3 with aOR of 1.14.
That air pollution is harmful is now well-established. Adding to the mounting evidence, this 7-year study has shown high risk of osteoporosis with chronic exposure to high levels of particulate matter. The neck of the femur was more vulnerable compared to the lumbar spine.
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