Association of long-term exposure to PM in workplace with fasting plasma glucose among asymptomatic adults: A multicenter study in North China.

BACKGROUND

The impacts of long-term high exposure to PM in workplace on glucose metabolism in asymptomatic working adults (AWAs) have rarely been explored.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the relationship between long-term exposure to workplace PM and glucose metabolism in asymptomatic general working adults in heavily polluted regions.

METHODS

We used the baseline data of the asymptomatic working participants from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Medical Examination Cohort, which recruited adults undergoing medical examinations. A machine learning-based spatial-temporal model was used to estimate daily average PM concentrations in the participants' workplaces. We assessed the association of long-term PM concentrations (three years prior to the interview) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) using generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM) with inclusion of potential confounders. Stratified analyses by sex, age, BMI and smoking status, and two pollutant models were further performed.

RESULTS

A total of 37,619 individuals were interviewed and 28,865 were included in the analyses. The mean FPG was 5.20 (0.96) mmol/L, and the estimated three-year average concentration of PM exposure was 69.51 (6.92) μg/m. We detected a significant association of long-term exposure to workplace PM and FPG, a 10 µg/m increase in the long-term workplace PM exposure was associated with 0.075 (95%CI: 0.050-0.100) mmol/L elevated FPG and 25% (OR = 1.25, 95%CI: 1.05-1.50) elevated odds of abnormal fasting glucose metabolism with control of the potential confounding. The detected association between workplace PM and FPG metabolism remained significant in males, individuals aged > 44 years, overweight and/or obese people, both smokers and non-smokers, and when NO, SO, O, and CO were included in the model.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term exposure to workplace PM was associated with elevated FPG and/or odds of abnormal glucose metabolism among AWAs. Male, middle-aged, overweight and/or obese AWAs were more susceptible to workplace PM regardless of smoking status.