Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41261353›Full record

ArticleJournal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle2025

Air Pollution Exposure and Muscle Mass and Strength Decline in Older Adults: Results From a Swedish Population-Based Study.

Caterina Trevisan, Caterina Gregorio, Anna-Karin Welmer, Stefano Volpato, Kristina Eneroth, Tom Bellander, Davide Liborio Vetrano, Debora Rizzuto

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Caterina TrevisanAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-9221-6997
Caterina GregorioAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Anna-Karin WelmerAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Stefano VolpatoDepartment of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy.
Kristina EnerothEnvironment and Health Administration, Stockholm, Sweden.
Tom BellanderAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Davide Liborio VetranoAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Debora RizzutoAging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.

Funding

Ministry of Health and Social AffairsSwedish Research Council 2021-00178the participating county councils and municipalities
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEmerging evidence suggests that air quality may impact muscle health. However, most studies are limited by cross-sectional designs or short follow-ups. We assessed the association of long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants with changes in muscle mass and strength in older adults.

methodsWe included 3249 participants from the SNAC-K longitudinal study (mean age 74.3 years; 35.8% males). Muscle strength (measured through handgrip and chair stand tests), muscle mass (derived from calf circumference) and physical performance (assessed through walking speed at a usual pace) were assessed over a 12-year period. Probable sarcopenia was defined as reduced muscle strength as per the EWGSOP2 criteria. Residential exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen oxide (NOx) was estimated for the 5 years preceding baseline. Cox regressions and linear mixed models examined the association of air pollutant exposure with, respectively, probable sarcopenia and longitudinal changes in muscle parameters.

resultsOver 12 years, the cumulative incidence of probable sarcopenia increased with higher exposure (above vs. below the median values) to NOx (36% vs. 28%), PM2.5 (35% vs. 28%) and PM10 (35% vs. 28%). The association between air pollutant levels and the risk of probable sarcopenia was nonlinear (p

conclusionsLong-term exposure to moderate levels of ambient air pollutants may increase the risk of probable sarcopenia and accelerate declines in lower-limb strength and physical performance in older adults.

Indexed as

Air PollutionEnvironmental ExposureMuscle, SkeletalMuscle StrengthSarcopeniaAgedAged, 80 and overAir PollutantsFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleParticulate MatterSwedenAir PollutantsParticulate Matteragedair pollutionmuscle strengthprobable sarcopeniaprospective study

Identifiers

PMID41261353
PMCPMC12629866

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.