Associations between Size-Specific Particulate Matter and Lung Function: Results from the China Pulmonary Health Study.
7 affiliations
- 1School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
- 2Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China.
- 3National Center for Respiratory Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China.
- 4School of Health Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
- 5Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- 6National Center for Respiratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Research and Data Management, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China.
- 7MEEKL-AERM, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Institute of Tibetan Plateau, and College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that the respiratory health effects of particulate matter (PM) may vary by aerodynamic diameter. However, comprehensive investigations comparing the effects of size-specific PM on lung function indicators remain limited. We analyzed lung function data from the China Pulmonary Health (CPH) Study to assess the associations between long-term exposure to PM₁, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM₁₀ and indicators of large and small airway function using multivariable linear models. This study included 50,991 adults aged 20 years and above. For large airway function, each interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM₁, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, and PM₁₀ was significantly associated with a decrease in FEV₁, FVC, and FEV₁/FVC. The associations between FEV₁ and FVC strengthened as the particle size decreased. PM₁ showed the strongest association, with the lowest FEV₁ (-36.84 mL, 95% confidence interval (CI): -45.91, -27.76 mL) and FVC (-34.63 mL, 95% CI: -45.48, -23.79 mL) values. For small airway function, all size-specific particles were significantly associated with decreases in FEF₇₅ and FEF₂₅₋₇₅. Specifically, each IQR increase in PM2.5-10 exposure was associated with the largest reduction in the airway function indicators. Furthermore, stratified analyses showed stronger adverse associations in vulnerable subpopulations, including females, older adults, former smokers, biomass nonusers, and participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Size-specific PM exposure has differential health effects on both large and small airway lung function indicators. Therefore, it is essential to account for particle size in health risk assessments and the regulation of PM.
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BibTeX
@article{li2026associations,
title = {{Associations between Size-Specific Particulate Matter and Lung Function: Results from the China Pulmonary Health Study.}},
author = {Zijun Li and Xingyao Tang and Xueyan Han and Sinan Wu and Zhaoyang Pan and Linhong Pang and Hailu Zhu and Yicong Wang and Qi Wang and Xinran Shan and Ting Yang and Jing Wei and Tianjia Guan and Ke Huang and Chen Wang and China Pulmonary Health (CPH) Study Group},
journal = {Environment \& health (Washington, D.C.)},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1021/envhealth.5c00676},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903834},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Associations between Size-Specific Particulate Matter and Lung Function: Results from the China Pulmonary Health Study.
AU - Zijun Li
AU - Xingyao Tang
AU - Xueyan Han
AU - Sinan Wu
AU - Zhaoyang Pan
AU - Linhong Pang
AU - Hailu Zhu
AU - Yicong Wang
AU - Qi Wang
AU - Xinran Shan
AU - Ting Yang
AU - Jing Wei
AU - Tianjia Guan
AU - Ke Huang
AU - Chen Wang
AU - China Pulmonary Health (CPH) Study Group
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/02
JO - Environment & health (Washington, D.C.)
DO - 10.1021/envhealth.5c00676
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903834
AB - Emerging evidence suggests that the respiratory health effects of particulate matter (PM) may vary by aerodynamic diameter. However, comprehensive investigations comparing the effects of size-specific PM on lung function indicators remain limited. We analyzed lung function data from the China Pulmonary Health (CPH) Study to assess the associations between long-term exposure to PM₁, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM₁₀ and indicators of large and small airway function using multivariable linear models. This study included 50,991 adults aged 20 years and above. For large airway function, each interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM₁, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, and PM₁₀ was significantly associated with a decrease in FEV₁, FVC, and FEV₁/FVC. The associations between FEV₁ and FVC strengthened as the particle size decreased. PM₁ showed the strongest association, with the lowest FEV₁ (-36.84 mL, 95% confidence interval (CI): -45.91, -27.76 mL) and FVC (-34.63 mL, 95% CI: -45.48, -23.79 mL) values. For small airway function, all size-specific particles were significantly associated with decreases in FEF₇₅ and FEF₂₅₋₇₅. Specifically, each IQR increase in PM2.5-10 exposure was associated with the largest reduction in the airway function indicators. Furthermore, stratified analyses showed stronger adverse associations in vulnerable subpopulations, including females, older adults, former smokers, biomass nonusers, and participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Size-specific PM exposure has differential health effects on both large and small airway lung function indicators. Therefore, it is essential to account for particle size in health risk assessments and the regulation of PM.
SN - 2833-8278
ER -