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2018 study: long-term air pollution exposure & MS incidence

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 5:09 am
by jimmylegs
Long-term exposure to air pollution and the incidence of multiple sclerosis: A population-based cohort study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 5118303013

Highlights
• No associations of MS incidence with PM2.5 and NO2 were observed.
•There was a tendency for increasing MS incidence in relation to O3.
•Females exhibited a higher risk of developing MS in association with O3 than males.

Abstract
Background
Evidence of the adverse neurological effects of exposure to ambient air pollution is emerging, but little is known about its effect on the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common autoimmune disease of the central nervous system.

Objectives
To investigate the associations between MS incidence and long-term exposures to fine particles (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3)

Methods
We conducted a population-based cohort study to investigate the associations between long-term exposures to PM2.5, NO2, and O3 and the incidence of MS. Our study population included all Canadian-born residents aged 20–40 years who lived in the province of Ontario, Canada from 2001 to 2013. Incident MS was ascertained from a validated registry. We assigned estimates of annual concentrations of these pollutants to the residential postal codes of subjects for each year during the 13 years of follow-up. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each pollutant separately using random-effects Cox proportional hazards models. We conducted various sensitivity analyses, such as lagging exposure up to 5 years and adjusting for access to neurological care, annual average temperature, and population density.

Results
Between 2001 and 2013, we identified 6203 incident cases of MS. The adjusted HR of incident MS was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.86–1.07) for PM2.5, 0.91(95% CI: 0.81–1.02) for NO2, and 1.09 (95% CI: 0.98–1.23) for O3. These results were robust to various sensitivity analyses conducted.

Conclusions
In this large population-based cohort, we did not observe significant associations between MS incidence and long-term exposures to PM2.5, NO2, and O3 in adults in Ontario, 2001–2013.

Re: 2018 study: long-term air pollution exposure & MS incide

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 7:55 am
by Petr75
Yes, it may be the end of the theory. http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-d ... ml#p253857

Re: 2018 study: long-term air pollution exposure & MS incide

Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:41 am
by jimmylegs
i was interested in the age range the authors selected, also that they cut off analysis before coal plants were shut down locally. many fewer smog days (ie 0) from 2014 onwards, but who knows if that would affect the analysis where ms incidence is concerned.