Associations between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and stroke mortality in Nanchang, China

This study examined the association between short-term exposure to air pollution and stroke mortality, and identified which types of stroke were most affected. Data on stroke mortality from 2014 to 2022 were extracted from the Population Death Register Information System of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Concentrations of air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2 and O3) were obtained from the China Environmental Monitoring Center. Meteorological data (average daily temperature and humidity) were obtained from the China Meteorological Administration. A quasi-Poisson generalized additive model was used to assess the relationship between air pollutant and stroke mortality. Short-term air pollution exposure was positively associated with stroke mortality. Specifically, exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) was more closely linked to ischemic stroke than to hemorrhagic stroke.Notably, for per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 (lag 02), PM10 (lag 03), SO2 (lag 04), and NO2 (lag 04), there was a corresponding increase in stroke mortality of 0.948% (95% CI: 0.022, 1.883), 0.697% (95% CI: 0.043, 1.354), 7.419% (95% CI: 3.227, 11.780) and 3.367% (95% CI: 1.398, 5.375), respectively. Stratified analyses indicated that the pollutants effects on stroke mortality varied by gender, age group and season.