Living in countries with higher levels of air pollution, such as India and China, may be associated with an increased risk of developing kidney diseases, a study suggests. The study was conducted by the researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US. And it has been published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
- Researchers examined information on 10,997 adults across four sites in the US who were followed from 1996-1998 through 2016.
- The findings of the study are important for the countries which are facing high level of air pollution.
Effects of Air Pollution Go Beyond Your Lungs
- It is known that breathing in air pollution can have detrimental health effects beyond the lungs.
- However, so far, no study has been able to establish a link between air pollution and kidney ailments.
- The researchers estimated the monthly average levels of tiny particles of air pollution called fine particulate matter based on participants’ home addresses.
- They noted that fine particulate matter comes from a variety of sources including fossil fuel combustion, industrial processes, and natural sources.
- They found that exposure to higher amounts of fine particulate matter was associated with a higher degree of albuminuria a marker of kidney dysfunction at the start of the study as well as a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease over time.
- “Future studies should examine whether efforts to improve air quality yield health benefits, including reducing rates of chronic kidney disease”, the researchers said.