Personal exposure of PM2.5 and metabolic syndrome markers of pregnant women in South Korea: APPO study

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 30; no. 59; pp. 123893 - 123906
• Main Authors: Jeong, Yeonseong, Park, Sunwha, Kwon, Eunjin, Hur, Young Min, You, Young-Ah, Kim, Soo Min, Lee, Gain, Lee, Kyung A., Kim, Soo Jung, Cho, Geum Joon, Oh, Min-Jeong, Na, Sung Hun, Lee, Se jin, Bae, Jin-Gon, Kim, Yu-Hwan, Lee, Soo-Jeong, Kim, Young-Han, Kim, Young Ju
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air pollution; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Confidence intervals; Diabetes mellitus; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Exposure; Glucose; Glucose metabolism; Homeostasis; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Observational studies; Particulate matter; Pregnancy; Pregnancy complications; Research Article; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; South Korea; Lipid metabolism; Metabolic dysfunction; Glucose intolerance; Indoor air pollution; Particulate matter; Pregnancy complications
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30921-x

We examined the association between exposure to PM 2.5 , focused on individual exposure level, and metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy. APPO study (Air Pollution on Pregnancy Outcome) was a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study conducted from January 2021 to March 2023. Individual PM 2.5 concentrations were calculated using a time-weighted average model. Metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy was assessed based on a modified definition of metabolic syndrome and its components, accounting for pregnancy-specific criteria. Exposure to PM 2.5 during pregnancy was associated with worsened metabolic parameters especially glucose metabolism. In comparison to participants exposed to the low PM 2.5 group, those exposed to high PM 2.5 levels exhibited increased odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after adjusting for confounding variables in different adjusted models. Specifically, in model 1, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 3.117 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.234–7.870; in model 2, the aOR was 3.855 with a 95% CI of 1.255–11.844; in model 3, the aOR was 3.404 with a 95% CI of 1.206–9.607; and in model 4, the aOR was 2.741 with a 95% CI of 0.712–10.547. Exposure to higher levels of PM 2.5 during pregnancy was associated with a tendency to worsen metabolic dysfunction markers specifically in glucose homeostasis. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of ambient PM 2.5 on metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy.