The Association Between Air Pollution Exposure and White Blood Cell Counts: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in South Korea.

ABSTRACT: Background: The effect of air pollution, a major global health issue, on the immune system, particularly on white blood cell (WBC) counts, remains underexplored. Methods: This study utilized data from 54,756 participants in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to investigate the effects of short- (day of examination and 7-day averages), mid- (30- and 90-day averages), and long-term (one-, three-, and five-year averages) air pollutant exposure on WBC counts. We assessed exposure to particulate matter (PM₁₀, PM_2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃), and carbon monoxide (CO). Results: Linear regression with log-transformed WBC counts, adjusted for confounders, showed that

SUBMITTER: Lee J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11642379 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature