Causal Relationship Between Urban Air Pollution and Pulmonary Embolism: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Background: As urbanization progresses, the resulting air pollution has become an increasingly severe public health issue, known to exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies suggest that it may also affect blood coagulation mechanisms. In this study, Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to explore the causal relationship between air pollution and pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods: This study employs MR techniques, using genetic variants associated with air pollution exposure to assess their impact on VTE. Data from large-scale genomic studies, including the UK Biobank and OpenGWAS, were analyzed to explore the relationship between genetic susceptibility to air pollution and the risk of pulmonary embolism. The study also conducted multivariable MR analysis, adjusting for potential confounders such as smoking and BMI. Results: The study finds that long-term exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 significantly increases the risk of pulmonary embolism, with the association for PM2.5 being the most significant. The study also indicates that pollutants like PM2.5–10, NO2, and NOx have a smaller but still notable impact on PE risk. Multivariable MR analysis confirmed the robustness of these results, further highlighting the role of air pollution in thrombosis. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study emphasizes the significant causal relationship between air pollution and PE, providing evidence that pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, and NOx contribute to thrombotic events.