Short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter and mortality among HIV/AIDS patients: Case-crossover evidence from all counties of Hubei province, China.

BACKGROUND

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has been a worrisome public health problem in the world. However, evidence for associations between short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) and mortality among HIV/AIDS patients is scarce.

METHODS

We collected daily death records in people with HIV/AIDS from all counties (N = 103) of Hubei province, China from 2018 to 2019. The county-level daily concentrations of PM, PM and PM in the same period were extracted from ChinaHighAirPollutants dataset. A time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the associations between PM and mortality.

RESULTS

Each 1 μg/m increased in PM corresponded with 0.89 % elevated in all-cause deaths (ACD) at lag 0-4 days. The largest effects of PM, PM and PM on AIDS-related deaths (ARD) were detected at lag 0-4 days, and PM [percent changes in odds ratio: 2.51 % (95 % CIs: 0.82, 4.22)] appeared greater health hazards than PM [1.24 % (95 % CIs: 0.33, 2.15)] as well as PM [0.65 % (95 % CIs: 0.01, 1.30)]. In subgroup analyses, the significant associations of PM/PM and ACD were only found in male and the cold season. We also observed the effects of PM and PM on ARD were significantly stronger (P for interaction <0.05) in males than females. In addition, we caught sight of HIV/AIDS patients aged over 60 years old were more susceptible to ARD caused by PM than younger population.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested PM was positively linked with the risk of ACD and ARD. Male patients with HIV/AIDS were more significantly susceptible to PM, PM and PM. PM/PM appeared stronger associations with ARD in HIV/AIDS patients aged over 60 years old and in the cold season.