Association of Long-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution With the Risk of Acute Primary Angle Closure

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and the risk of acute primary angle closure (APAC). Methods: Two hundred eighty-one (281) patients with APAC and 730 age- and sex -matched controls hospitalized between January 2017 and December 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective case -control study. Residential exposure to ambient air pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), inhalable particulate (PM 10 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), and ozone were estimated by satellite -models or ground measurement. Multivariate regression analyses explored the association between annual air pollutants exposure and the risk of APAC. Results: Of the 1011 participants (31.1% were male subjects), the average age was 64.0 years. Long-term exposure to PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and SO 2 were significantly associated with an increased risk of APAC. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for each interquartile range (IQR) increment of PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and SO 2 were 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.57), 1.26 (95% CI = 1.06-1.50), and 1.30 (95% CI = 1.04-1.62) separately, after controlling for confounders. Robust associations were observed for a longer lag 2 -year exposure. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and SO 2 was associated with an increased risk of APAC in a Chinese population. Our findings provide epidemiological implications on the adverse effects of air pollution on ocular diseases. Translational Relevance: Long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants increased the risk of APAC.