Short-term association of fine particulate matter and its constituents with oxidative stress, symptoms and quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis: A panel study

Background: Short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and its specific constituents might exacerbate allergic rhinitis (AR) conditions. However, the evidence is still inconclusive.

Method: We conducted a panel study of 49 patients diagnosed with AR > 1 year prior to the study in Taiyuan, China, to investigate associations of individual exposure to PM_2.5 and its constituents with oxidative parameters, symptoms, and quality of life among AR patients. All participants underwent repeated assessments of health and PM exposure at 4 time points in both the heating and nonheating seasons from June 2017 to January 2018. AR patients' oxidative parameters were assessed using nasal lavage, and their subjective symptoms and quality of life were determined through in-person interviews using a structured questionnaire. Short-term personal exposure to PM_2.5 and its constituents was estimated using the time-microenvironment-activity pattern and data from the nearest air sampler, respectively. We applied mixed-effects regression models to estimate the short-term effects of PM_2.5 and its constituents.

Results: The results showed that exposure to PM_2.5 and its constituents, including BaP, PAHs, SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺, V, Cr, Cu, As, Se, Cd, and Pb, was significantly associated with increased oxidative stress, as indicated by an increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) index. Exposure to PM_2.5 and its components (V, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, and Se) was associated with decreased antioxidant activity, as indicated by a decrease in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) index. Additionally, increased visual analog scale (VAS) and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) scores indicated that exposure to PM_2.5 and its constituents exacerbated inflammatory symptoms and affected quality of life in AR patients.

Conclusion: Exposure to PM_2.5 and specific constituents, could exacerbate AR patients' inflammatory symptoms and adversely affect their quality of life in the heavily industrialized city of Taiyuan, China. These findings may have potential biological and policy implications.