A new study involving nearly 50,000 surgery patients in the Wasatch Front has linked higher levels of air pollution to an increased risk of post-surgical complications. The research found that when fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels were higher than the EPA daily exposure limit during the week before surgery, the risk of complications including sepsis, pneumonia, and surgical wound infection increased from 4.8% to 6.2%.
The researchers analyzed data from 49,615 non-emergency surgeries using EPA and state-level air quality sensors along with satellite data to estimate pollution levels at patient addresses. John Pearson, MD, a research affiliate of anesthesiology at University of Utah Health, noted that even a single day of elevated PM2.5 air pollution in the week before surgery was associated with an increased risk of major medical and infectious complications.
The study observed that every 10ug/m3 increase in fine particulate air pollution was linked to approximately an 8% increase in the relative risk of post-surgical complications. Nathan Pace, MD, a professor of anesthesiology at U of U Health, explained that PM2.5 particles are small enough to enter the lungs and potentially cross into the bloodstream, affecting organs such as the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys, which increases inflammation and puts stress on the body.
While the study demonstrates an association between air quality and surgical outcomes, researchers noted that it cannot determine if the pollution directly causes the increased risk or if other factors are involved. The findings, published in Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, suggest that improvements in air quality through changes in transit and industry could significantly impact health. For now, experts recommend standard precautions such as using high-quality home air filters and avoiding outdoor exercise during periods of wildfire smoke or inversion.
