Jump to main content
US EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Search
Search
Main menu
Environmental Topics
Laws & Regulations
About EPA
Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)
Contact Us
Print
Feedback
Export to File
Search:
This record has one attached file:
Add More Files
Attach File(s):
Display Name for File*:
Save
Citation
Tags
HERO ID
5434370
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Are noise and air pollution related to the incidence of dementia? A cohort study in London, England
Author(s)
Carey, IM; Anderson, HR; Atkinson, RW; Beevers, SD; Cook, DG; Strachan, DP; Dajnak, D; Gulliver, J; Kelly, FJ
Year
2018
Is Peer Reviewed?
1
Journal
BMJ Open
EISSN:
2044-6055
Volume
8
Issue
9
Page Numbers
e022404
Language
English
PMID
30206085
DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022404
Web of Science Id
WOS:000450417800092
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate whether the incidence of dementia is related to residential levels of air and noise pollution in London.
DESIGN:
Retrospective cohort study using primary care data.
SETTING:
75 Greater London practices.
PARTICIPANTS:
130 978 adults aged 50-79 years registered with their general practices on 1 January 2005, with no recorded history of dementia or care home residence.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:
A first recorded diagnosis of dementia and, where specified, subgroups of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia during 2005-2013. The average annual concentrations during 2004 of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter with a median aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) were estimated at 20×20 m resolution from dispersion models. Traffic intensity, distance from major road and night-time noise levels (Lnight) were estimated at the postcode level. All exposure measures were linked anonymously to clinical data via residential postcode. HRs from Cox models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, smoking and body mass index, with further adjustments explored for area deprivation and comorbidity.
RESULTS:
2181 subjects (1.7%) received an incident diagnosis of dementia (39% mentioning Alzheimer's disease, 29% vascular dementia). There was a positive exposure response relationship between dementia and all measures of air pollution except O3, which was not readily explained by further adjustment. Adults living in areas with the highest fifth of NO2 concentration (>41.5 µg/m3) versus the lowest fifth (<31.9 µg/m3) were at a higher risk of dementia (HR=1.40, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.74). Increases in dementia risk were also observed with PM2.5, PM2.5 specifically from primary traffic sources only and Lnight, but only NO2 and PM2.5 remained statistically significant in multipollutant models. Associations were more consistent for Alzheimer's disease than vascular dementia.
CONCLUSIONS:
We have found evidence of a positive association between residential levels of air pollution across London and being diagnosed with dementia, which is unexplained by known confounding factors.
Tags
•
LitSearch-NOx (2024)
Forward Citation Search
Epidemiology
Results
Cardiovascular-LT
PubMed
WoS
Exposure
Results
Error Sources
PubMed
WoS
Confounding
PubMed
WoS
Keyword Search
Epidemiology
Cardiovascular
PubMed
WoS
Other Health Effects
WoS
PubMed
Exposure
Confounding
WoS
PubMed
Error Impacts
PubMed
PIA
WoS
PubMed
Indoor
WoS
PubMed
Error Sources
WoS
TIAB Screening
Atmospheric
Round 1
Exclude
Epidemiology
Include
Cardiovascular
•
Litsearch – PM ISA Supplement 2021
Pubmed iCite citation search (April 2021 BR)
PM2.5 Cardiovascular and Mortality Epi Search
Results
Home
Learn about HERO
Using HERO
Search HERO
Projects in HERO
Risk Assessment
Transparency & Integrity