Associations between Long-Term Particulate Matter Exposure and Adult Renal Function in the Taipei Metropolis.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the effect of air pollutions on kidney diseases are still limited.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the associations between particulate matter (PM) exposures and renal function among adults.

METHODS: We recruited 21,656 adults as participants from 2007 to 2009. The Taiwanese Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation was used to derive the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Subjects with an eGFR lower than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were defined as having chronic kidney disease (CKD). Land use regression (LUR) models were used to estimate individual exposures to PM with an aerodynamic diameter < 10 μm (PM10 ), coarse particles (PMCoarse ), fine particles (PM2.5 ), and PM2.5Absorbance . Generalized linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between PM exposure and renal function.

RESULTS: An IQR increase in PM10 (5.83 μg/m3 ) was negatively associated with eGFR by -0.69 (95% CI: -0.89, -0.48) mL/min/1.73 m2 and positively associated with the prevalence of CKD with adjusted OR = 1.15 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.23). An IQR increase in PMCoarse (6.59 μg/m3 ) was significantly associated with lower eGFR by -1.07 (95% CI: -1.32, -0.81) mL/min/1.73 m2 and CKD with OR = 1.26 (95% CI: 1.15, 1.38). In contrast, neither outcome was significantly associated with PM2.5 or PM2.5Absorbance . Stratified analyses indicated that associations of CKD with both PM10 and PMCoarse were limited to participants < 65 years of age, and were stronger (for PM10 ) or limited to (PMCoarse ) women. Associations also appeared to be stronger in those without (vs. with) hypertension, and in normal versus overweight participants.

CONCLUSIONS: Exposure during the previous year to PM10 and PMCoarse , but not PM2.5 or PM2.5Absorbance , was associated with reduced renal function among Taiwanese adults.