Short-term effects of ambient air pollution on musculoskeletal diseases in Yangzhou during 2019–2022

Abstract Background Given the limited research on the association between air pollutants and musculoskeletal diseases (MDs), our study aimed to examine how exposure to air pollutants influenced the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. Methods We extracted daily air pollutants and musculoske...

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Main Authors: Hu Zhang, Bing Wang, Wen Xiong, Junpeng Xia, Chao Zhao, Ruijun Dong, Lihong Yin, Qianqian Wang, Kaiyue Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Public Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23600-8
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Summary:Abstract Background Given the limited research on the association between air pollutants and musculoskeletal diseases (MDs), our study aimed to examine how exposure to air pollutants influenced the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. Methods We extracted daily air pollutants and musculoskeletal diseases data from 2019 to 2022 in Yangzhou. The combined effects of air pollutants particulate matte 2.5 (PM2.5), PM10, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3) and nitric oxide (NO) were comprehensively assessed. Logistic regression modelling was firstly applied to evaluate the association between air pollutants and the incidence of MDs. The joint effect of multiple air pollutants was further explored using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) modelling. In order to deeply investigate the risk effects of heavy metals in PM2.5 on MDs, we also explored the association between heavy metals in PM2.5 and MDs. Results Among the individual air pollutants, SO2 (OR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.08–4.24) and O3 (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.13–2.62) had the most significant effects on the elevated risk of MDs. It was found that SO2, O3 and PM10 had a positive joint effect on the risk of developing MDs when the levels of other air pollutants were higher than the 55th percentile. Furthermore, the logistic regression and BKMR model analyses showed that the heavy metals Selenium (Se, OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22–0.68), Cadmium (Cd, OR = 0.62, 95% CI. 95% CI: 0.40–0.97), Antimony (Sb, OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29–0.88), and Thallium (Tl, OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.35–0.85) exerted a negative joint effect on the risk of developing MDs. Conclusion Our findings indicated that short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants may elevate the risk of MDs, with particular attention warranted to the health impacts of SO2 and O3 emissions in urban areas. In addition, the heavy metals in PM2.5 exerted negative relationship with the risks of MDs, which provided the new sights of the protective role of heavy metals against bone disease. Graphical Abstract
ISSN:1471-2458