ArticleJournal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA2025
Causal relationships between air pollutants and upper respiratory tract infections: A two-sample, Mendelian randomization study.
Article in Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Causal Effect of Air Pollution on Outpatient Visits for Chronic Rhinitis.The Laryngoscope · 2026Article
- Air Pollution and Its Impact on Health and Performance in Football Players.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe issue of air pollution is a concern that affects the health of individuals globally. Air pollutants (APs) have been linked to upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs); however, the exact association between them remains unclear.
methodsTwo-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed to examine the causal relationship between APs and URTIs. Data regarding APs and URTIs were obtained from genome-wide association studies. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with each exposure were defined as instrumental variables. Inverse variance weighting is the primary method for analyzing causal effects. Quality control was performed using MR-Egger, weighted mode, simple mode, and weighted median. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q. The MR-Egger test was used to evaluate pleiotropy. Sensitivity analysis was performed using the "leave-one-out" method.
resultsMR analysis revealed that airborne particulate matter with a diameter ≤10 micrometers (PM 10 ) had a notable impact on acute pharyngitis, whereas nitrogen dioxide had a significant impact on chronic rhinitis, chronic nasopharyngitis, and chronic pharyngitis. Pleiotropy and heterogeneity were not observed.
conclusionHigher PM 10 levels were associated with a greater likelihood of developing acute pharyngitis. Increased nitrogen dioxide concentrations were associated with an increased risk for chronic rhinitis, nasopharyngitis, and pharyngitis. As such, controlling APs is crucial for preventing and treating URTIs.
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