Study shows that one is likely to get an autoimmune disease if exposed to polluted air for a long period.
The correlation between the autoimmune disease and pullulated air is the ability of the disease to attack the healthy cell and the body’s immune system. With a weak immune system, one’s body cannot fight infections.
Over 9,000 people were diagnosed with various autoimmune diseases between 2016 and 2020. The 9,000 represent 12 per cent of the study sample of 80,000.
Some of the autoimmune diseases exhibited by the people under study include rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel diseases, and connective tissue diseases like osteoarthritis.
The main component of pollution is matter. Matter is simply a mixture of different liquids and solids (which include smoke, soot or dust).
The study was conducted by measuring the level of particulate matter in the air.
With 30 micrograms per cubic metre of particulate matter 10 (PM10) or 20 micrograms per cubic metre for PM2.5, scientists say this would harm one’s health.
“We found a positive, yet small, association between exposure to PM10 and the risk of being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
This finding translates into a seven per cent higher risk of having an autoimmune disease every ten micrograms per cubic metre increase in PM10 concentration,” said the researchers.
The researchers conclude that a majority of pollution attributes are vehicles and industries. The research is done in 110 Italian provinces, in 617 stations.