Pascale Haddad, Haeran Jeong, Ron Kappeler, Hicran Altug, Zorana Jovanovic Andersen, Marie Bergmann, Hanna Boogaard, Meltem Joss Kutlar, Youn Hee Lim, Steffen Loft, Tobias Pohl, Barbara Hoffmann
- BACKGROUND AND AIM [|] Due to their small size, ultrafine particles (UFP≤100nm) can reach deeply into the lungs and could exert higher toxicity on the body organs in comparison with fine particulate matter. Only ten epidemiological studies examined long-term UFP exposure and health effects according to the most recent review from 2019 that included studies until 2017. We systematically reviewed the literature on health effects of long-term exposure to UFP. METHOD [|] Epidemiological studies were searched comprehensively in PubMed and LUDOK (the Swiss literature database on air pollution and health) from January 2017 to September 2023. Original epidemiologic studies were included if they reported on the general or sub-populations, assessed long-term exposure of UFP measures, investigated clinical or preclinical health outcomes and reported a quantifiable measure of association. Internal validity of studies was evaluated with a risk of bias instrument. The project is funded by theBACKGROUND AND AIM [|] Due to their small size, ultrafine particles (UFP≤100nm) can reach deeply into the lungs and could exert higher toxicity on the body organs in comparison with fine particulate matter. Only ten epidemiological studies examined long-term UFP exposure and health effects according to the most recent review from 2019 that included studies until 2017. We systematically reviewed the literature on health effects of long-term exposure to UFP. METHOD [|] Epidemiological studies were searched comprehensively in PubMed and LUDOK (the Swiss literature database on air pollution and health) from January 2017 to September 2023. Original epidemiologic studies were included if they reported on the general or sub-populations, assessed long-term exposure of UFP measures, investigated clinical or preclinical health outcomes and reported a quantifiable measure of association. Internal validity of studies was evaluated with a risk of bias instrument. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conversation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection and supervised by the German Environment Agency (FKZ 3721 61 202 0). RESULTS [|] We identified 53 original studies investigating long-term associations. The vast majority were cohort studies (79.2%) conducted in the general population (62.3%). Half (54.7%) were located in western Europe. UFP was measured and modelled in various ways; more than a third of the studies (41.5%) used land-use regression models. Thirty studies adjusted for at least one co-pollutant. Most identified outcomes were cardiometabolic (43.4%), respiratory (13.2%) and birth outcomes (13.2%). Positive associations with long-term UFP exposure were reported for cardiometabolic, respiratory and birth outcomes for 78.5%, 42.9% and 50.0% of studies, respectively. CONCLUSIONS [|] The evidence base has increased substantially since the publication of the 2019 review. Positive associations were reported, in particular for cardiometabolic outcomes.…

