Multi-City Analysis of the Acute Effect of Polish Smog on Cause-Specific Mortality (EP-PARTICLES Study)
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, with air pollution becoming a major environmental problem. According to the Global Burden of Disease 2019, air pollution causes around 6.7 million deaths annually, exceeding even that of tobacco smoking. Polish smog is a unique type of air pollution, mainly composed of particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which might have exceptionally adverse cardiovascular effects. In our latest study, we aimed to assess, whether Polish smog has a short-term effect on mortality due to acute coronary syndromes and ischemic stroke and identify the most vulnerable groups.
What are the main findings of our study?