Researchers examined 49,615 non-emergency surgeries on Utah’s Wasatch Front and found that higher short-term exposure to PM2.5 was linked to more post-surgical complications. The study is published in Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica and was led by the University of Utah School of Medicine.
To estimate exposure, the team combined EPA and state air-quality sensor data with satellite observations to calculate PM2.5 at each patient’s home address for the week before surgery. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that can reach the smallest parts of the lung; some particles can cross into the blood and reach the brain, heart, liver and kidneys.
When PM2.5 exceeded the EPA daily exposure limit during the week before surgery, the combined measure of post-surgical complications rose from 4.8% to 6.2%. The researchers also found that every 10 microgram per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 was associated with an 8% increase in relative risk, producing an absolute increase in risk of 1.4% when pollution exceeded daily limits. A concentration of 35 micrograms per cubic meter is considered unhealthy.
The authors caution that the outcome was a composite of many different post-surgical events, so further work is needed to identify which specific complications increase. Because the study is observational, it cannot prove causation and may be affected by other factors that influence both exposure and outcome.
- University of Utah School of Medicine
- Coauthors at University of Nevada, Reno and Columbia University
- Funding: Wilkes Center seed grant, NSF, NIH
Difficult words
- exposure — contact with something, often harmful substance
- particulate matter — tiny solid or liquid particles in the air
- relative risk — comparison of chance between two groups
- absolute increase — actual rise in risk measured in percentage points
- composite — combined measure made of several different events
- observational — based on observing people, not an experiment
- satellite observation — data collected by instruments in spacesatellite observations
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What practical steps could hospitals or patients take before surgery when local air pollution is high? Give reasons or examples.
- How would you explain the difference between relative risk and absolute increase to someone without a statistics background?
- What further research would help identify which specific post-surgical complications are linked to higher PM2.5 exposure?
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