Long-term air pollution is linked to chronic kidney disease

An observational cohort study tracked 15,580 adults from the Beijing Air Pollution and Population Health Cohort between 2019 and 2025. Researchers collected annual concentrations of five ambient air pollutants and identified chronic kidney disease by calculating estimated glomerular filtration rate from biochemical measurements. Over the follow-up period, 664 participants developed chronic kidney disease. For every 10 micrograms per cubic metre rise in exposure, coarse particulate matter was associated with an 18% higher risk and carbon monoxide with a 2% higher risk. Conversely, ozone was inversely associated with risk. For fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, the range of likely values included no difference. Each interquartile range increase in a composite air pollution score was linked to a 51% higher risk of the disease, with stronger positive associations observed in females and older adults.