Effect of air pollution on gout development: a nationwide Population-Based observational study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of Air Pollution on Gout Development.


METHODS
A total of 175,489 participants were enrolled. These pollutants were considered: carbon monoxide (CO), Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), Total hydrocarbons (THC), and Methane (CH4). The yearly average concentrations were calculated from 2000 to 2011. Univariate and multivariate analyses by Cox proportional hazard regression models were adopted to estimate hazard ratios for gout in the Q2 to Q4 concentrations of air pollutants compared with the Q1 concentration.


RESULTS
In THC, relative to the Q1 concentration, the risks of gouts were higher in participants exposed to the Q2 to Q4 concentrations (aHR, 1.10 with 95% CI, 1.01-1.19 in the Q2 concentration of THC; aHR, 4.20 with 95% CI, 3.93-4.49 in the Q3 concentration of THC; aHR, 5.65 with 95% CI, 5.29-6.04 in the Q4 concentration of THC). In regard to CH4, when the Q1 concentration was defined as the reference, the risks of gout were increased for participants exposed to the Q2, Q3 and Q4 concentrations (aHR, 1.16 with 95% CI, 1.06-1.26 in the Q2 concentration of CH4; aHR, 2.37 with 95% CI, 2.20-2.55 in the Q3 concentration of CH4; aHR, 8.73 with 95% CI, 8.16-9.34 in the Q4 concentration of CH4).


CONCLUSIONS
Association between air pollution and risk of gout was noted.