Environmental and Occupational Short-Term Exposure to Airborne Particles and FEV1 and FVC in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 18; no. 20; p. 10571
• Main Authors: da Silveira Fleck, Alan, Sadoine, Margaux L., Buteau, Stéphane, Suarthana, Eva, Debia, Maximilien, Smargiassi, Audrey
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 09-10-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Adults; Air pollution; Asthma; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Disease; Environmental health; Environmental studies; Exposure; Health care; Meta-analysis; Mortality; Occupational exposure; Outdoor air quality; Particulate matter; Qualitative analysis; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory function; Systematic Review
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010571

Background: No study has compared the respiratory effects of environmental and occupational particulate exposure in healthy adults. Methods: We estimated, by a systematic review and meta-analysis, the associations between short term exposures to fine particles (PM2.5 and PM4) and certain parameters of lung function (FEV1 and FVC) in healthy adults. Results: In total, 33 and 14 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and meta-analyses, respectively. In environmental studies, a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with an FEV1 reduction of 7.63 mL (95% CI: −10.62 to −4.63 mL). In occupational studies, an increase of 10 µg/m3 in PM4 was associated with an FEV1 reduction of 0.87 mL (95% CI: −1.36 to −0.37 mL). Similar results were observed with FVC. Conclusions: Both occupational and environmental short-term exposures to fine particles are associated with reductions in FEV1 and FVC in healthy adults.