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Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and COVID-19 Vaccine Antibody Response in a General Population Cohort (COVICAT Study, Catalonia)

M. Kogevinas, Marianna Karachaliou, Ana Espinosa, R. Aguilar, G. Castaño-Vinyals, J. Garcia-Aymerich, A. Carreras, B. Cortés et al.

Environmental Health Perspectives, 2023

1,090 participants · 18 citations

Abstract

Background: Ambient air pollution has been associated with COVID-19 disease severity and antibody response induced by infection. Objectives: We examined the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and vaccine-induced antibody response. Methods: This study was nested in an ongoing population-based cohort, COVICAT, the GCAT-Genomes for Life cohort, in Catalonia, Spain, with multiple follow-ups. We drew blood samples in 2021 from 1,090 participants of 2,404 who provided samples in 2020, and we included 927 participants in this analysis. We measured immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA antibodies against five viral-target antigens, including receptor-binding domain (RBD), spike-protein (S), and segment spike-protein (S2) triggered by vaccines available in Spain. We estimated prepandemic (2018–2019) exposure to fine particulate matter [PM ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5)], nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black carbon (BC), and ozone (O3) using Effects of Low-Level Air Pollution: A Study in Europe (ELAPSE) models. We adjusted estimates for individual- and area-level covariates, time since vaccination, and vaccine doses and type and stratified by infection status. We used generalized additive models to explore the relationship between air pollution and antibodies according to days since vaccination. Results: Among vaccinated persons not infected by SARS-CoV-2 (n=632), higher prepandemic air pollution levels were associated with a lower vaccine antibody response for…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 1,090 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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