Air pollution is linked to a higher risk of stroke and is also associated with anxiety, according to research.
Scientists at Edinburgh University said common risk factors for stroke include obesity, smoking and high blood pressure, but evidence of environmental factors such as air pollution is lacking.
They analysed 103 observational studies covering 28 countries and looking at gaseous pollutants including carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.
The results showed an association between carbon monoxide (1.5 per cent increased risk per one part per million, or ppm), sulphur dioxide (1.9 per cent per 10 parts per billion, or ppb) and nitrogen dioxide (1.4 per cent per 10 ppb) and stroke-related hospital admissions or death. The weakest association was found for ozone.
In addition, particulate matter − made up of particles in the air such as dust, pollen, soot and smoke − was included.
PM 2.5 (fine particles less than 2.5 micrometres in size) and PM 10 (coarse particles less than 10 micrometres in size) were linked with hospital admissions or deaths due to stroke by 1.1 per cent and 0.3 per cent per 10 micrometres/m3 increment respectively.
The first day of air pollution exposure was found to have the strongest association.
“Only a few studies originated from low or middle-income countries and yet these countries experience the highest levels of air pollution and bear a disproportionate burden of global stroke mortality and morbidity,” the report said.
“Public and environmental health policies that aim to reduce air pollution levels might reduce the burden of stroke.”
Anoop Shah, lead author of the study, said: “Long-term exposure to pollution has already been linked to lung, heart and circulatory disease. This study now demonstrates that even short-term exposure to air pollution can trigger disabling strokes or death from stroke.”
“One of the key differences between risk of stroke due to air pollution and other risk factors, such as smoking or high blood pressure, is that the whole population is exposed. As such this increased risk of stroke is in the general population and not just those previously thought to be at high risk.”
Stroke is the second most common cause of death and third most important cause of disability worldwide.
One of the key differences between risk of stroke due to air pollution and other risk factors is that the whole population is exposed
The research was published in the British Medical Journal, with a second study looking at air pollution and anxiety in the US.
Data was taken from the US Nurses’ Health Study with more than 70,000 women analysed along with exposure to particulate matter and distance from residence address to the nearest major road – a common indicator for traffic-related air pollution exposure.
Exposure to particulate matter was linked to a higher risk of anxiety, while women who resided 50-200 metres from a major road were more likely to have higher anxiety symptoms than those living more than 200 metres away. But those living within 50 metres of a major road did not experience this association.
The study, by teams at Harvard University in Massachusetts and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, explained that particulate matter air pollution may trigger or worsen anxiety through oxidative stress and inflammation or deteriorate an existing health condition.