Fine particulate matter measured by satellites predicts the risk of age-related macular degeneration in a longitudinal cohort study.

Although studies have revealed that ambient particulate matter (PM) has detrimental effects on the ocular surface, there have been limited reports detailing the effect of ambient PM on the posterior segment of the eye. A large-scale longitudinal cohort study evaluating the association between fine PM, especially PM2.5, and the retina could elucidate the risk of ambient pollutants for retinal diseases.

Particulate Air Pollution and Progression to Kidney Failure With Replacement Therapy: An Advanced CKD Registry-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Rationale & Objective: Limited evidence concerns fine particulate matter (with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5μm [PM]) exposure and the risk for kidney failure with replacement therapy (KFRT). This study assessed whether PM exposure was associated with progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) to KFRT.

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) and pediatric rheumatic diseases.

Few studies have assessed the association between fine particulate matter (PM) exposure during pregnancy and infancy and pediatric rheumatic diseases (PRDs). The goal of this study was to investigate the association of PM with PRDs, and to explore sensitive windows of exposure. Therefore, we conducted a cohort-based case-control study to investigate the association between weekly exposure to PM and PRDs in Taiwan.

The effects of exposure to air pollution on the development of uterine fibroids.

Background: Air pollution may cause specific genetic or epigenetic abnormalities and lead to the development of uterine fibroids (UFs). However, there have been limited studies evaluating the relationship between air pollutant exposure and the development of UFs.

Methods: We conducted a 10-year cohort-based case-control study in Taiwan from 2001 to 2010 using National Health Institute Research Database (NHIRD) to assess the association between air pollution and the UFs development among Taiwanese women.

Association of Air Pollution Exposure and Interleukin-13 Haplotype with the Risk of Aggregate Bronchitic Symptoms in Children.

Interleukin-13(IL-13) might play an important role in driving aggregate bronchitic symptoms pathogenesis. However, none of the studies assessed the interaction between air pollutants exposure and IL-13 gene on the risk of aggregate bronchitic symptoms in non-asthma children. To assess the independent and joint effects of the exposure to air pollution and IL-13 haplotypes on the risk of aggregate bronchitic symptoms, we conducted a cross-sectional study and focused on non-asthma children.