Fine particulate matter exposure and olfactory dysfunction among urban-dwelling older US adults.
OBJECTIVE
The olfactory nerve is anatomically susceptible to injury from pollution in inspired air, but there are no large-scale epidemiologic studies investigating this relationship.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, a representative sample of home-dwelling US adults age 57-85 years. Olfactory function was tested using a validated 5-item odor identification test (Sniffin' Sticks). Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at each respondent's home was estimated as 1-12 month moving averages prior to olfactory assessment using validated spatio-temporal models.


RESULTS
Olfactory dysfunction was significantly associated with PM2.5exposures averaged over 3-12 months in urban-dwelling respondents. The strongest effect was for 6 month average exposure (per 1-IQR increase in PM2.5: OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.05, 1.55) adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, cognition, comorbidity, smoking, and the season. Interestingly, the most deleterious effects were observed among the youngest respondents, 57-64 years old, and those living in the northeast and south.


CONCLUSIONS
We show for the first time that air pollution exposure is associated with poor olfaction among urban-living, older US adults.
Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Gaurav S
GS
Ajmani
Department of Health Sciences, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Helen H
HH
Suh
Department of Public Health Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Kristen E
KE
Wroblewski
Department of Comparative Human Development and the Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
David W
DW
Kern
Department of Public Health Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
L Philip
LP
Schumm
Department of Comparative Human Development and the Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Martha K
MK
McClintock
Department of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
Jeff D
JD
Yanosky
Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: jpinto@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu.
Jayant M
JM
Pinto
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter
Air pollution; Elderly; Fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)); Olfactory dysfunction; Smell
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