Study ID | Study Description | Outcomes | Main findings | Conclusion |
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Yao Y et al. [52], June 2020 | *Associations between PM and CFR of COVID-19 *49 Chinese cities, spatial analysis | CFR | Pollutants (10 μg/m3 increase in and concentrations)- COVID-19 CFR increased by: *Long-term (2015–2019): • PM2.5: 0.61% (0.09–1.12%) and • PM10: 0.33% (0.03–0.64%) respectively. | PM pollution distribution and its association with COVID-19 CFR suggests that exposure to such may affect COVID-19 prognosis. |
Hendryx M et al. [65], October 2020 | Pollution data (PM2.5, DPM, O3) from the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Screen, May 31, 2020 with 2014–2019 | Cumulative prevalence and fatality rates | Estimate (SE), p-value. (Note: PM2.5 is one pollutant model. others, all indictors considered simultaneously) *Pollutants/ sources and COVID-19 Prevalence • PM2.5: 23.5, p = .02 • O3: 2.36 (3.29) p = .47 • Diesel PM: 237 (55.8) p = .001 • PM2.5minus DPM: 8.96 (10.8) p = .40 • Traffic: − 0.20 (.06) p = .02 • NPL sites: − 5.59 (113) p = .96 • TSDFs: − 1.75 (4.95) p = .72 • RMP sites: 56.7 (22.6) p = .01 *Pollutants/ sources and COVID-19 Death • PM2.5: 1.08 (.54) p = .05 • Ozone: 0.10 (.17) p = .54 • Diesel PM: 18.7 (2.80) p = .001 • PM2.5 minus DPM: 0.20 (.56) p = .72 • Traffic − 0.01 (.003) p = .001 • NPL sites: 3.76 (5.65) p = .51 • TSDFs: 0.52 (.25) p = .04 • RMP sites: − 0.83 (1.14) p = .47 | Areas with worse prior air quality, especially higherconcentrations of diesel exhaust, may be at greater COVID-19 risk, although further studies are needed to confirm these relationships. |
Fattorini D et al. [66], September 2020 | Data on COVID-19 outbreak in Italian provinces and corresponding long-term air quality evaluations (four years), obtained from Italian and European agencies. Updated April 27, 2020 | frequency and severity of cases (spread) | *Pollutants (average)-Incidence of COVID-19 • NO2: r = 0.4969, p < 0.01, (2016–2017) • PM2.5: r = 0.5827, p < 0.01, (2016–2017) • O3: r = 0.5142, p < 0.01 (2017–2016) • PM10: r = 0.4127, p < 0.05.(2017–2017) • PM10: r = 05168, p < 0.01 (2016–2017) *Long-term air-quality data significantly correlated with cases of COVID-19 in up to 71 Italian provinces | Atmospheric and environmental pollution should be considered as part of an integrated approach for sustainable development, human health protection and prevention of epidemic spreads but in a long-term |
Konstantinoudis G et al. [67], December 2020 | Long-term exposure to NO2 and PM2.5 (2014–2018 from the Pollution Climate Mapping) on COVID-19 deaths up to June 30, 2020 in England using high geographical resolution. | Death | Pollutants (1 μg/m3 increase)-COVID-19 Mortality rate: *Unadjusted • NO2: 2·6% (95%CrI: 2·4%-2·7%) • PM2.5: 4·4% (3·7%-5·1%) *Adjust for spatial autocorrelation and confounders • NO2: 0.5% (95% credible interval: − 0.2-1.2%) • PM2.5: 1.4% (− 2.1–5.1%). | some evidence of an effect of long-term NO2 exposure on COVID-19 mortality, while the effect of PM2.5 remains more uncertain |
Liang D et al. [68], October 2020 | Cross-sectional nationwide study using zero- inflated negative binomial models to estimate the association between long-term (2010–2016) county-level exposures to NO2, PM2.5 and O3 and county-level COVID-19 in the US. | CFR, Mortality | *Single Pollutant Model (estimate, 95%CI, p-value) COVID-19 CFR vs Mortality • NO2: 1.12, (1.05–1.18), 0.0003 vs 1.17, (1.10 to 1.25), < 0.0001 • PM2.5: 1.09, (0.96 to 1.23), 0.19 vs 1.19, (1.04 to 1.37), 0.012 • O3: 0.99, (0.93 to 1.06), 0.74 vs 1.00, (0.93 to 1.08), 0.95 *3- Pollutant Model (estimate, 95%CI, p-value) COVID-19 CFR vs Mortality • NO2: 1.11, (1.05 to 1.18), 0.0005 vs 1.16, (1.09 to 1.24), < 0.0001 • PM2.5: 1.06, (0.93 to 1.20), 0.39 vs 1.15, (1.00 to 1.32), 0.051 • O3: 0.98, (0.91 to 1.04), 0.48 vs 0.98, (0.91 to 1.05), 0.55 *Per IQR increase-COVID-19 CFR vs Mortality • NO2 (4.6 ppb): increase of 11.3% (95% CI 4.9 to 18.2%) vs 16.2% (95% CI 8.7 to 24.0%) • PM2.5 (2.6 μg/m3) marginally associated with 14.9% (95% CI 0.0 to 31.9%)increase mortality rate. | *Long-term exposure to NO2, which largely arises from urban combustion sources such as traffic, may enhance susceptibility to severe COVID-19 outcomes, independent of long-term PM2.5 and O3 exposure. *The results support targeted public health actions to protect residents from COVID-19 in heavily polluted regions with historically high NO2 levels. |
Wu X et al. [69], November 2020 | A nationwide, cross-sectional study using county-level data for long-term average exposure to PM2.5 and risk of COVID-19 death in the US (≥ 3000 counties, representing 98% of the population) up to April 22, 2020 from Johns Hopkins University | Mortality | PM2.5-COVID-19 Mortality: • MRR: 1.11 (1.06, 1.17) • 1 μg/m3 associated with an 11% (95% CI: 6, 17%) increase in death rate | *A small increase in long-term exposure to PM2.5leads to a large increase in the COVID-19 death rate. *Despite the ecological study design, importance of continuing to enforce existing air pollution regulations to protect human health both during and after the COVID-19 crisis. |
Vasquez-Apestegui et al. [56], July 2020 | Levels of PM2.5 exposure in the previous years (2010–2016) in 24 districts of Lima with the cases, deaths, and case-fatality rates of COVID-19. | Incidence, CFR and mortality | * PM2.5 (estimate, 95%CI) and COVID-19: • Case/population density: 0.070**, (0.034–0.107) • Death/ population density: 0.0014*, (0.0006–0.0023) • CFR: − 0.022, (− 0.067–0.023) Note: p < 0.05; **p < 0.01. | The higher rates of COVID-19 in Metropolitan Lima is attributable, among others, to the increased PM2.5 exposure in the previous years |
Coker ES et al. [70], August 2020 | Ecologic association between long-term concentrations of area-level of PM2.5 (2015–2019) and excess deaths in the first quarter of 2020 in municipalities of Northern Italy. | Excess mortality | * PM2.5 (estimate, SE)-COVID-19 Excess Deaths • No geographical effects: 0.128*** (0.008) • Regional fixed effects: 0.085*** (0.009) • LLS random effects: 0.089*** (0.014) • Regional fixed effects and LLS: 0.089*** (0.014) • 1 μg/m3 increase= > 9% (95% CI: 6–12%)*** increase in mortality. Note: ***p < 0.01, **p < 0.05, *p < 0.1 | Positive association of ambient PM2.5 concentration on excess mortality in Northern Italy related to the COVID-19 epidemic. |
Cole et al. [71], August 2020 | Ecological association between long-term concentrations of of PM2.5 NO2, SO2 (2015–2019) and COVID-19 in 355 municipalities in Netherlands (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) | Death, incidence and hospital admission | *Average 5 years (estimate, SE)=> COVID-19 cases: • PM2.5: 0.11*(0.051) • NO2: 0.027*(0.012) • SO2: 0.11 (0.079) COVID-19 admissions • PM2.5: 0.15*(0.065) • NO2: 0.015 (0.013) • SO2: 0.055 (0.065) COVID-19 deaths • PM2.5: 0.23**(0.073) • NO2: 0.035*(0.016) • SO2: 0.18 (0.10) Note: ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05 Pollutants (1 μg/m3 increase)-COVID-19 Cases: • PM2.5: 9.4 (95%CI: 1.1,17.7) • NO2: 2.2 (95%CI: 0.2,4.3) Admissions • PM2.5: 3.0 (95%CI: 0.43, 5.6) Deaths • PM2.5: 2.3 (95%CI: 0.87,3.6) • NO2: 0.35 (95%CI: 0.042,0.66) | Relationship between COVID-19 and PM2.5 persists even when a wide range of control variables are included and a number of different estimation methods used. |
Gupta A et al. [72], July 2020 | Data related to 9 Asian cities analysed to assess the link between mortality rate in the infected cases and the air pollution (WHO databases 2007–2016) | Mortality | Percentage of mortality per reported COVID-19 cases • Log10 (PM2.5): coef, SE, p: 5.747, 2.169, 0.033 • Log10 (PM10): coef, SE, p: 3.226, 1.811, 0.118 Percentage mortality per reported COVID-19 cases • PM2.5 (R2 = 50.1% and R2 Adj = 42.9%) • PM10 (R2 = 31.2% and R2 Adj = 24.1%). | Positive correlation indicating air pollution to be an elemental andconcealed factor in aggravating the global burden of deaths related to COVID-19 |
Pacheco H et al. [73], July 2020 | Spatio-temporal variations in NO2 concentrations in 12 highly populated cities in Ecuador by comparing NO2 tropospheric concentrations before (March 2019) and after (March 2020) the COVID-19 lockdown. | Incidence, Mortality | NO2-COVID-19: • Cases: r = 0.88; p < 0.001 • Deaths: r = 0.91; p < 0.001 • Death per Capita: r = 0.84; p < 0.01 | *Reduction in NO2 of up to 22–23% in the most highly populated cities in Ecuador (Quito and Guayaquil) after the lockdown caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. *Crucial role played by air quality as regards human health. |
Saha J et al. [54], July 2020 | Data from the 4th round of the National Family Health Survey 2015–16, and from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 18th May 2020 to assess link between pre-existing morbidity conditions and IAP and COVID-19 among under-five children in India | Risk factor current fatality and recovery rate | Mean (SD) composite risk score of different indicators of indoor domestic smoky environment with COVID-19: • CFR: 2.5 (2.5) • Non-Recovery Rate: 47.5 (18.6) | From a research viewpoint, there is a prerequisite need for epidemiological studies to investigate the connection between indoor air pollution and pre-existing morbidity which are associated with COVID-19. |
Rodriguez-Diaz CE et al. [74], July 2020 | Comparison of predictors of COVID-19 cases and deaths between disproportionally Latino counties (> 17.8% Latino population) and all other counties through May 11, 2020. | Incidence, Death. | * PM2.5-COVID-19 Rate ratios (third vs. first quartile): • Cases: RR(95%CI): 1.028 (0.918, 1.151) • Deaths: RR(95%CI): 1.230 (1.028, 1.471) | Structural factors place Latino populations and particularly monolingual Spanish speakers at elevated risk for COVID-19 acquisition. |