Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25625876›Full record

SynthesisEnvironmental health perspectives2015

Association between ambient air pollution and diabetes mellitus in Europe and North America: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ikenna C Eze, Lars G Hemkens, Heiner C Bucher, Barbara Hoffmann, Christian Schindler, Nino Künzli, Tamara Schikowski, Nicole M Probst-Hensch

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Environmental health perspectives, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 239 papers, 13 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
239citing papers in PubMed, 13 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

239 citing papers in PubMed, 13 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Epidemiological and mechanistic links between PMFrontiers in endocrinology · 2025
    Pooled it
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  6. Climate factors and gestational diabetes mellitus risk - a systematic review.Environmental health : a global access science source · 2020
    Pooled it
  7. Diabetes mortality burden attributable to short-term effect of PMEnvironmental science and pollution research international · 2020
    Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
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  13. Impact of ambient air pollution on obesity: a systematic review.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2018
    Pooled it
  14. Review
  15. Occupational particle exposure and diabetes: a cohort study in Swedish construction workers.International archives of occupational and environmental health · 2026
    Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Associations of PMFrontiers in public health · 2026
    Article

179 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ikenna C EzeSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
Lars G Hemkens
Heiner C Bucher
Barbara Hoffmann
Christian Schindler
Nino Künzli
Tamara Schikowski
Nicole M Probst-Hensch

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAir pollution is hypothesized to be a risk factor for diabetes. Epidemiological evidence is inconsistent and has not been systematically evaluated.

objectivesWe systematically reviewed epidemiological evidence on the association between air pollution and diabetes, and synthesized results of studies on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

methodsWe systematically searched electronic literature databases (last search, 29 April 2014) for studies reporting the association between air pollution (particle concentration or traffic exposure) and diabetes (type 1, type 2, or gestational). We systematically evaluated risk of bias and role of potential confounders in all studies. We synthesized reported associations with T2DM in meta-analyses using random-effects models and conducted various sensitivity analyses.

resultsWe included 13 studies (8 on T2DM, 2 on type 1, 3 on gestational diabetes), all conducted in Europe or North America. Five studies were longitudinal, 5 cross-sectional, 2 case-control, and 1 ecologic. Risk of bias, air pollution assessment, and confounder control varied across studies. Dose-response effects were not reported. Meta-analyses of 3 studies on PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm in diameter) and 4 studies on NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) showed increased risk of T2DM by 8-10% per 10-μg/m3 increase in exposure [PM2.5: 1.10 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.18); NO2: 1.08 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.17)]. Associations were stronger in females. Sensitivity analyses showed similar results.

conclusionExisting evidence indicates a positive association of air pollution and T2DM risk, albeit there is high risk of bias. High-quality studies assessing dose-response effects are needed. Research should be expanded to developing countries where outdoor and indoor air pollution are high.

Indexed as

Air PollutantsAir PollutionDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2Environmental ExposureEuropeFemaleHumansMaleNorth AmericaParticulate MatterAir PollutantsParticulate Matter

Identifiers

PMID25625876
PMCPMC4421762

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.