Air pollution is always a matter of concern. It is widely known that a polluted air can cause adverse effects on lungs. Now a recent study suggests that higher level of air pollution may also lead to having an increased risk of developing kidney disease. This study, which will appear in the upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), has shown how air pollution impacts the kidneys.
According to a report published in Zee News, this study has been conducted by researchers of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Matthew F. Blum, MD and his colleagues examined information on 10,997 adults across four sites in the United States who were followed from 1996 to 1998 through 2016. The researchers estimated the monthly average levels of tiny particles of air pollution called fine particulate matter based on participants’ home addresses.
Fine particulate matter comes from a variety of sources including fossil fuel combustion, industrial processes, and natural sources. After conducting a detailed analysis, the team found that exposure to higher amounts of fine particulate matter was associated with a higher degree of albuminuria, a marker of kidney dysfunction, at the start of the study as well as a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease over time.
“As rates of chronic kidney disease rise worldwide, it is important to understand whether and how exposure to air pollution plays a role,” said Dr Blum.
The authors noted that their findings may be especially important for parts of the world, such as China and India, where fine particulate matter levels of polluted air are 5 to 10 times higher than in the United States. Future studies should examine whether efforts to improve air quality yield health benefits, including reducing rates of chronic kidney disease.
Adverse effects of polluted air
People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to polluted air. Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects, as described in National Geographic website:
Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. It can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Bad smells made by factories, garbage, or sewer systems are considered air pollution, too. These odors are less serious but still unpleasant.
Long-term effects can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person’s death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people’s nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution.
People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors.
