Exposure to PM2.5<\/sub> above 10.75 \u00b5g\/m3<\/sup> <\/sub>associated with residence in area with high risk for community-acquired pneumonia in children<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n <\/b><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Nov. 12, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Environmental exposures such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5<\/sub>) are associated with residence in high-risk areas for community-acquired pneumonia in children, according to a study published online Oct. 29 in Experimental Biology & Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Tonny J. Oyana, Ph.D., from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, and colleagues examined the geospatial patterns of community-acquired pneumonia and the impact of PM2.5<\/sub> on geospatial variability of pneumonia in children in a retrospective cohort study. The mean PM2.5<\/sub> during the study period was 10.75 \u00c2\u00b5g\/m3<\/sup>; high PM2.5<\/sub> was defined as exposure to PM2.5<\/sub> concentrations >10.75 \u00c2\u00b5g\/m3<\/sup>.<\/p>\n A total of 220 of the 810 patients with radiographic community-acquired pneumonia were identified as being from high- or low-risk areas for community-acquired pneumonia (126 and 94, respectively). In the Memphis metropolitan area, community-acquired pneumonia had a nonhomogenous geospatial pattern. There was an association observed for PM2.5<\/sub> with residence in high-risk areas for community-acquired pneumonia. The risk for residence in a high-risk area for community-acquired pneumonia was decreased for children with private insurance and bacterial (as opposed to viral) etiology of infection.<\/p>\n “The fact that we saw increased risk for pediatric pneumonia at PM2.5<\/sub> levels lower than what is currently allowed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is a concern and signals the need for continuous review and policy adjustment based on health effects evidence and exposure or risk information such as this,” a coauthor said in a statement.<\/p>\n