Particulate Matter Exposure and Pneumonia

Experimental Biology and Medicine highlighted a research article written by Le Bonheur and UTHSC researchers. Tamekia Jones, PhD, Jonathan McCullers, MD, and Sandra Arnold, MD, along with colleagues at UTHSC and Louisiana State University, wrote the article titled “Particulate matter exposure predicts residence in high-risk areas for community acquired pneumonia among hospitalized children.”

The authors performed a retrospective analysis to identify factors associated with residence in zip codes in the Memphis Metropolitan area with high- or low-risk of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia hospitalizations. These factors included insurance type, race and particulate matter exposure, specifically PM2.5, a type of air pollution that has been linked to respiratory conditions. The study population included 220 children hospitalized with pneumonia who resided in high- or low-risk areas.

The authors reported:

• Children who resided in high-risk areas were exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 than those who resided in low-risk areas.
• Race was associated with residence in high-risk areas; 86.5% of children who resided in high-risk areas were Black.
• Children who resided in high-risk areas were more likely to have public insurance than those who resided in low-risk areas.

These findings support the link between environmental exposures and childhood pneumonia. The authors also suggest socioeconomic disparity could contribute to the risk of childhood pneumonia.