Air pollution increases the risk of deadly kidney disease, according to new research. The study, conducted in Sao Paulo, Brazil, between 2011 and 2021, analyzed data from 37,000 individuals and found that poor air quality is linked to acute kidney injury and hospitalisation due to kidney failure.
Key Findings on Age and Gender
The research discovered that air pollution significantly elevates the threat of chronic kidney disease for people aged 19 to 50. For those aged 51 to 75, the risk increased by up to 2.5 times. Additionally, men were found to be at higher risk than women of being hospitalised for kidney conditions. Exposure to high levels of pollution over a 24-hour period is sufficient to increase men's risk of hospitalisation for acute kidney injury, whereas this risk does not appear to rise in women for reasons that remain unclear.
Mechanism and Expert Insight
Professor Lucia Andrade from the University of Sao Paulo Medical School, which led the study, explained the potential mechanism: 'The hypothesis is that particulate matter can enter the bloodstream and deposit in kidney tissue, where it is recognised by the immune system as a foreign body, causing the body to produce a series of inflammatory mediators, as well as mediators of fibrosis and premature ageing.'
Impact on the UK
Chronic kidney disease affects over seven million Britons and contributes to around 45,000 deaths annually. The condition often has no symptoms until the kidneys are close to failing, leaving an estimated one million Britons unaware they are ill. During the study period, average air pollution levels were three times the World Health Organisation limits, a level rarely seen in the UK. However, experts caution that even at much lower pollution levels, there is a risk.
Dr Iara da Silva, lead author of the study, emphasised: 'Even concentrations within the limit showed a link to hospitalisations for kidney diseases, indicating the need to intensify policies to reduce air pollution.'
