According to a large multicenter observational study presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), long-term exposure to high levels of atmospheric pollutants, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5), appears to have an influence significant in outcomes for people hospitalized for COVID-19.
The researchers retrospectively analyzed data from 2,038 adults with COVID-19 admitted to four large Henry Ford Health System hospitals between March 12 and April 24, 2020.
PM2.5
Extremely small air pollutants, known as PM2.5 , are particles 25 times smaller than the width of a human hair, and are the result of activities such as burning fossil fuels and agriculture.
Specifically, the study suggests that long-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with more than three times as likely to receive mechanical ventilation and twice as likely to remain in the ICU. As Anita Shallal of Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital explains:
Our study draws attention to the systemic inequalities that may have led to the marked differences in COVID-19 outcomes based on race and ethnicity. Communities of color are more likely to be located in areas closer to industrial pollution and to work in companies that expose them to air pollution.
The authors note that their study was observational , so they cannot establish the cause. They add that, although they adjusted for several influencing factors, it is still possible that other factors that could not be fully controlled, such as disease severity at presentation, contribute to the observed results.