Associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and lung function in the LEAD general population study

<bold>Background:</bold> Exposure to air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of abnormal lung development and impaired lung function. <bold>Aim:</bold> This study investigates cross-sectional associations of long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with lung function. <bold>Methods:</bold> We used repeated measurements of lung function in the Austrian LEAD (Lung, hEart, sociAl, boDy) study, a general population cohort of children and adults (6-80 years). FEV1 and FVC were measured at the baseline (t0; 2011-2022) and follow-up (t1; 2017-ongoing). Annual concentrations of PM10 and NO2 from a chemical transport model (2015-2021) were assigned to individual´s home addresses. Linear mixed-effects models with random participant intercepts were used, stratified by two age groups, and adjusted for lifestyle, sociodemographic, time-trend, and noise exposure. <bold>Results:</bold> A total of 18,824 observations (nt0=13,712, nt1=5,112) from participants aged 6-86 years (mean age at t0: 41.0 years; 52.9% female; mean PM10=21 µg/m3) were analysed. Among adults (≥25 years), higher PM10 exposure was associated with a reduced FVC of -25.7 ml (95% confidence interval (CI: -44.0, -7.3) and FEV1 of -16.4 ml (95% CI: -31.0, -1.7) per interquartile range (1.8 µg/m3) increase. Effect estimates for NO2 were also negative but weaker and borderline-significant. Among children/young adults (<25 years), higher PM10 exposure was associated with a reduced FVC of -31.7 ml (95% CI: -55.9, -7.5). <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Long-term exposure to PM10 impacts lung function in both children/young adults and middle-aged and elderly.