The study of the correlation between pollutants and their interactions on the incidence of tuberculosis in Changping District based on distribution models.

BACKGROUND

Air pollution as a potential risk factor, mediator or moderator of TB incidence. Most of the studies focused on the provincial and urban areas, while Changping District, as a high incidence area and county of tuberculosis in Beijing, its relationship with pollutants is not clear, so this study aims to investigate the associations of air pollutants and their interactions on the number of new TB cases in Changping District, Beijing, China.

METHODS

Data from Beijing Changping Institute for Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment on monthly new TB cases from 2014 to 2022. Distributed lag nonlinear models are used to examine the associations of each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10 and NO2 concentrations, along with extreme exposure episodes, with TB incidence.

RESULTS

The cumulative relative risk (RR) of increasing pollutant concentrations is positively correlated with lag months for PM10, but the opposite result is observed for NO2. In terms of long and short-term relationships, increased PM10 concentration and extremely low NO2 concentration are associated with long-term hazardous for most subgroups, while extremely high PM10 and NO2 concentrations are associated with short-term hazardous.

CONCLUSION

Increased concentrations of PM10 and NO2 having long-term or short-term effects on populations. Therefore, strengthening air quality monitoring and control is of great significance for the prevention of tuberculosis in Beijing.