A new study links exposure to air pollution in young adults to complications from Covid-19.
- Researchers have studied the impact of long-term exposure to air pollution on the risk of long-lasting Covid in young adults.
- Being exposed to pollution is a long Covid risk factor according to the study.
- Air pollution is particularly linked to certain symptoms of long Covid such as shortness of breath.
Pollution leads to an increased risk of long Covid, especially among young people: this is the conclusion of a study published in The Lancet Regional Health EuropeMarch 7, 2023.
Long Covid and pollution: 753 young adults took part in the study
To carry out their work, the researchers used data from the BAMSE birth cohort. This experiment began in 1994 in Stockholm County, Sweden, and recruited 4,000 newborns, many of whom are still followed today. Between August 2020 and February 2022, participants attended follow-up focusing on Covid-19.
753 study participants were infected with the coronavirus. Nearly one in six who developed a mild or moderate infection said they had symptoms that persisted for two months or more. The most common persistent signs were altered sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue.
The scientists then estimated the level of air pollution to which the participants were exposed based on where they lived.
Pollution increases the risk of Covid long
And the finding is clear: young adults who were exposed to relatively high levels of air pollution in 2019 – in particular fine particles which mainly come from traffic – had a 28% increased probability of suffering from a long Covid (especially symptoms of shortness of breath) compared to those who lived in low pollution areas.
According to the researchers, this is explained: air pollution triggers inflammation in many tissues and organs of our body. However, if the latter is basically a way for the body to protect itself against problematic pathogens, such as bacteria or viruses, it can also be harmful and destructive for the body itself.
“So long-term inflammation linked to exposure to air pollution can trigger the range of symptoms people report experiencing during long covid.”, conclude the scientists.
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