ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Associations between long-term exposure to air pollutants and mortality risk of critically ill patients: a multi-center cohort study in central China
Authors' conclusion
Exposure to air pollutants was positively associated with the mortality risk of critically ill patients, with O3 being the main contributor to their joint effect.
Study context
- Population
- Critically ill patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in a Hubei Province Medical Treatment Alliance, China7,562 admitted
- Participants
- 7,222 patients
- Exposure
- Higher vs lower long-term exposure to air pollutants
- Outcome
- Death within 28 days after ICU admission
- Follow-up
- 28 days
Methodological detailslogistic regression, weighted quantile sum (weighted quantity sum (WQS)) regression, Pollutant exposure at residence estimated at 1 km resolution by multi-output LightGBM model
- Logistic regression
- Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression
- Pollutant exposure at residence estimated at 1 km resolution by multi-output LightGBM model
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
28-day mortality per higher pollutant concentration
Odds ratio (CI)
PM2.5
1.007(1.003–1.011)
PM10
1.002(1.000–1.004)
NO2
1.020(1.015–1.024)
SO2
1.025(1.001–1.050)
O3
1.005(1.001–1.009)
CO
4.336(2.952–6.457)
Per higher pollutant concentration, as printed
- Overall mortality rate
- 39.1%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mortality, males (subgroup)
| OR (CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 1.010 (1.005–1.015) | |
| PM10 | 1.004 (1.001–1.007) | |
| NO2 | 1.026 (1.021–1.032) | |
| CO | 6.224 (3.867–10.019) | |
| 0.050.21520Odds ratio (log scale) |
Mortality, smokers (subgroup)
| OR (CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| SO2 | 1.132 (1.078–1.189) | |
| O3 | 1.014 (1.006–1.022) | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
Mortality, alcohol drinkers (subgroup)
| OR (CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| SO2 | 1.147 (1.082–1.215) | |
| O3 | 1.020 (1.010–1.029) | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
Mortality, SAPS II > 33 (subgroup)
| OR (CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| SO2 | 1.168 (1.130–1.207) | |
| CO | 3.557 (2.165–5.843) | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
Relative contribution to joint effect on mortality (WQS)
- O3
- 43.8%
- NO2
- 25.1%
- CO
- 20.9%
- PM2.5
- 9.1%
- SO2
- 1.0%
- PM10
- 0.1%
Original publication
Associations between long-term exposure to air pollutants and mortality risk of critically ill patients: a multi-center cohort study in central China. Ann Intensive Care. Published 21 October 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →