Fine Particulate Matter (PM) and Chronic Kidney Disease.

The impact of ambient particulate matter (PM) on public health has become a great global concern, which is especially prominent in developing countries. For health purposes, PM is typically defined by size, with the smaller particles having more health impacts. Particles with a diameter <2.5 μm are called PM. Initial research studies have focused on the impact of PM on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases; nevertheless, an increasing number of data suggested that PM may affect every organ system in the human body, and the kidney is of no exception. The kidney is vulnerable to particulate matter because most environmental toxins are concentrated by the kidney during filtration. According to the high morbidity and mortality related to chronic kidney disease, it is necessary to determine the effect of PM on kidney disease and its mechanism that needs to be identified. To understand the current status of PM in the atmosphere and their potential harmful kidney effects in different regions of the world this review article was prepared based on peer-reviewed scientific papers, scientific reports, and database from government organizations published after the year 1998. In this review, we focus on the worldwide epidemiological evidence linking PM with chronic kidney disease and the effect of PM on the chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. At the same time, we also discuss the possible mechanisms of PM exposure leading to kidney damage, in order to emphasize the contribution of PM to kidney damage. A global database on PM and kidney disease should be developed to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of kidney disease.