Association between PM(1) Exposure and Lung Function in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The detrimental effects of PM(2.5) and PM(10) (particulate matter less than 2.5 or 10 μm) on human respiratory system, including lung function, have been widely assessed. However, the associations between PM(1) (particulate matter of less than 1 μm) and lung function in children and adolescents are less explored, and current evidence is inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis of the literature on the association between PM(1) and lung function in children and adolescents to fill this gap. With no date or language constraints, we used a combination of MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms and free text to search PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases through, 1 October 2022 for “PM(1) exposure” and “lung function”. A total of 6420 relevant studies were identified through our initial search, and seven studies were included in our study. In this meta-analysis, the fixed effect and random effects statistical models were used to estimate the synthesized effects of the seven included studies. For every 10 μg/m(3) increase in short-term PM(1) exposure, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV(1)), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) decreased by 31.82 mL (95% CI: 20.18, 43.45), 32.28 mL (95% CI: 16.73, 48.91), 36.85 mL/s (95% CI: 15.33, 58.38) and 34.51 mL/s (95% CI: 19.61, 49.41), respectively. For each 10 μg/m(3) increase in long-term PM(1) exposure, FVC, FEV(1), PEF and MMEF decreased by 102.34 mL (95% CI: 49.30, 155.38), 75.17 mL (95% CI: 39.61, 110.73), 119.01 mL/s (95% CI: 72.14, 165.88) and 44.94 mL/s (95% CI: 4.70, 85.18), respectively. Our study provides further scientific evidence for the harmful effects of PM(1) exposure on lung function in children and adolescents, indicating that exposure to PM(1) is detrimental to pulmonary health. To reduce the adverse health effects of air pollution on children and adolescents, effective preventive measures should be taken.