Published Paper Details:

Air pollutants have been investigated to be associated with many health issues. Recently, epidemiological studies have been suggested the association between air pollution exposure and risk of frailty with inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis and review was to summarize and evaluate the effects of exposure to various air pollutants on risk of frailty. PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science were systematically searched for relevant studies published before May 15, 2024. Studies that explored the potential relationship between exposure to air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NOx, solid fuel, second hand tobacco) and risk of frailty were included. The quality of cross-sectional and cohort studies was evaluated using an eight-item assessment instrument for epidemiological studies and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, respectively. A total of 9,717 papers were retrieved, of which 20 met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis indicated that PM2.5 exposure was significantly associated with frailty assessed by the frailty index [OR (90% CI): 1.24 (1,11-1.38) per 10 ?g/m3 increment]. Moreover, solid fuel exposures were significantly associated with an increased risk of frailty assessed by the frailty phenotype [OR (90% CI): 1.91 (1.09-3.34)] or the frailty index [OR (90% CI): 1.25 (1.11-1.41)]. Exposure to PM2.5 and solid fuel increases the risk of frailty. Environmental protection policies and public health measures should be developed to reduce PM2.5 concentrations. Effective measures, such as improving stoves and using clean fuels, should be taken to reduce indoor air pollution levels.