Long-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to an increased risk of autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid arthritis, research published in RMD Open has found.
Chronic exposure to pollution levels above the threshold for human protection was associated with a 10% higher risk of developing immune mediated diseases.
The study used medical information for 81,363 men and women from an Italian database monitoring fracture risk.
Long-term exposure to traffic and industrial air pollutants was associated with an approximately 40% higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis, a 20% higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease, and a 15% higher risk of connective tissue diseases.
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