Meta-analysis of adverse health effects due to air pollution in Chinese populations

BACKGROUND: Pooled estimates of air pollution health effects are important drivers of environmental risk communications and political willingness. In China, there is a lack of review studies to provide such estimates for health impact assessments. METHODS: We systematically searched the MEDLINE database using keywords of 80 major Chinese cities in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan on 30 June 2012, yielding 350 abstracts with 48 non-duplicated reports either in English or Chinese after screening. We pooled the relative risks (RR) per 10 μg/m(3) of particulate matter (PM(10)), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), sulphur dioxide (SO(2)) and ozone (O(3)). RESULTS: For short-term effects, the pooled RR (p < 0.05) ranges were: 1.0031 (PM(10)) to 1.0140 (NO(2)) for all-cause mortality, 1.0034 (cardiopulmonary, PM(10)) to 1.0235 (influenza and pneumonia, SO(2)) for 9 specific-causes mortality, 1.0021 (cardiovascular, PM(10)) to 1.0162 (asthma, O(3)) for 5 specific-causes hospital admissions. For birth outcomes, the RR (p < 0.05) ranged from 1.0051 (stillbirth, O(3)) to 1.1189 (preterm-birth, SO(2)) and for long-term effect on mortality from 1.0150 (respiratory, SO(2)) to 1.0297 (respiratory, NO(2)). Publication bias was absent (Egger test: p = 0.326 to 0.624). Annual PM(10) and NO(2) concentrations were inversely associated with RR of mortality (p = 0.017-0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence on short-term effects of air pollution is consistent and sufficient for health impact assessment but that on long-term effects is still insufficient.