Associations of long-term exposure to nitrogen oxides with all-cause and cause-specific mortality

Abstract

Associations between long-term exposure to nitrogen oxides (NOx) and cause-specific mortality remain insufficiently explored. This study utilizes data from 502,040 participants registered in the UK Biobank. Time-varying Cox regression is used to estimate mortality risks associated with NOx. Cause-specific mortality risks, including non-accidental, accidental and 15 major disease categories across 103 subcategories, are assessed for each 10 μg/m3 increase in NOx. Positive associations are observed between NOx and mortality from all-cause (HR: 1.036; 95% CI: 1.024, 1.049) and non-accidental diseases (HR: 1.032; 95% CI: 1.019, 1.045). We further identify 20 specific diseases related to NOx, notably respiratory diseases, mental and behavioral disorders, and circulatory diseases, with generally linear exposure-response relationships. Sex and residential areas are potential modifiers of the observed associations. Our findings suggest long-term exposure to NOx may increase mortality risks from a range of diseases, emphasizing the urgent need for clean air policies to alleviate the health burden. There is a critical gap in understanding the full spectrum of health effects associated with NOx exposure. Here, the authors find using UK Biobank data that mortality from all-cause, non-accidental and other 20 specific diseases was significantly associated with NOx.