Long-term exposure to road traffic noise and acute lower respiratory infections in the Danish Nurse Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Long-term exposure to road traffic noise is associated with cardiovascular disease, but the evidence on respiratory diseases is just emerging. We aimed to examine the association between long-term exposure to road traffic noise and the incidence of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) in adults. METHODS: We followed 23,141 female nurses (age ≥ 44 years) from the Danish Nurse Cohort from baseline (1993 or 1999) to their first hospital contact (inpatient, outpatient, or emergency room) for ALRI, death, emigration or the end of 2015. The residential annual mean levels of road traffic noise (Lden) during the follow-up were estimated using the Nord2000 model. We applied time-varying Cox models to estimate the association of 3-year mean exposure to Lden with ALRIs incidence and piecewise analysis to estimate the threshold of Lden. We examined the robustness of the results by adjusting for residential exposure to air pollution, and the effect modification by attained age, socioeconomic status (SES), comorbidity, and lifestyle. RESULTS: During 18.5 years of follow-up, 2,004 nurses developed ALRIs. In a linear model, we detected a statistically significant positive association between Lden and ALRI, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.11 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.17) per 9.2 dB (interquartile range, IQR). We observed non-linear association with a threshold at 57 dB, above which the HR was 1.25 (95 % CI: 1.09, 1.43) per IQR. Further adjustment for PM2.5 reduced the HRs slightly to 1.21 (95 % CI: 1.04, 1.40). The associations were stronger for nurses with asthma, and in those with lowest SES. CONCLUSION: We present novel findings in support of the association between long-term exposure to road traffic noise and ALRIs, independent of air pollution, suggesting noise as a risk factor for infectious respiratory diseases.

Screening outcome of HPV-vaccinated women: Data from the Danish Trial23 cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Danish women-who were HPV-vaccinated as girls-are now reaching an age where they are invited to cervical cancer screening. Because of their expected lower cervical cancer risk, we must reassess our screening strategies. We analyzed Danish HPV-vaccinated women's outcomes after the first screening test at age 23. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Our study was embedded in Danish routine cytology-based screening. We conducted an observational study and included women born in 1994, offered the 4-valent HPV vaccine at age 14, and subsequently invited to screening at age 23. Cervical cytology was used for diagnostics and clinical management. Residual material was HPV tested with Cobas® 4800/6800. The most severe histology diagnosis within 795 days of screening was found through linkage with the Danish National Pathology Register. We calculated the number of women undergoing follow-up (repeated testing and/or colposcopy) per detected cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+). A total of 6021 women were screened; 92% were HPV-vaccinated; 12% had abnormal cytology; 35% were high-risk HPV-positive, including 0.9% HPV16/18 positive, and 20% had follow-up. In women that were cytology-abnormal and HPV-positive (Cyt+/HPV+), 610 (98.5%) had been followed up, and 138 CIN2+ cases were diagnosed, resulting in 4.4 (95% CI 3.9-5.2) women undergoing follow-up per detected CIN2+. In contrast to recommendations, 182 (12.2%) cytology-normal and HPV-positive (Cyt-/HPV+) women were followed up within 795 days, and 8 CIN2+ cases were found, resulting in 22.8 (95% CI 13.3-59.3) women undergoing follow-up per detected CIN2+. CONCLUSION: Overall, HPV prevalence was high in HPV-vaccinated women, but HPV16/18 had largely disappeared. In the large group of cytology-normal and HPV-positive women, 23 had been followed up per detected CIN2+ case. Our data indicated that primary HPV screening of young HPV-vaccinated women would require very effective triage methods to avoid an excessive follow-up burden. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: NCT0304955.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise and incidence of dementia in the Danish Nurse Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: We examined the association of long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise with dementia incidence in the Danish Nurse Cohort. METHODS: Female nurses were followed for dementia incidence (hospital contact or medication prescription) from 1993/1999 to 2020. Air pollution and road traffic noise levels were estimated at nurses' residences, and their associations with dementia were examined using Cox regression models. RESULTS: Of 25,233 nurses 1409 developed dementia. Particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) was associated with dementia incidence, after adjusting for lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and road traffic noise (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.35 [1.15-1.59] per interquartile range of 2.6 µg/m3). There was no association of PM2.5 with dementia in physically active nurses. Association with road traffic noise diminished after adjusting for PM2.5 (1.02 [0.93-1.11] per 7.6 dB). DISCUSSION: Long-term exposure to air pollution increases risk of dementia, and physical activity may moderate this risk. HIGHLIGHTS: Long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with increased risk of dementia among female nurses from the Danish Nurse Cohort. Association of air pollution with dementia was independent of road traffic noise. Association of road traffic noise with dementia diminished after adjusting for air pollution. Physical activity moderated adverse effects of air pollution on dementia.

Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Risk of Acute Lower Respiratory Infections in the Danish Nurse Cohort.

Rationale: Air pollution is a major risk factor for chronic cardiorespiratory diseases, affecting the immune and respiratory systems' functionality, but epidemiological evidence in respiratory infections remains sparse. Objectives: We aimed to assess the association of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution with the risk of developing new and recurrent acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs), characterized by persistently severe symptoms necessitating hospital contact, and identify the potential susceptible populations by socioeconomic status, smoking, physical activity status, overweight, and comorbidity with chronic lung disease. Methods: We followed 23,912 female nurses from the Danish Nurse Cohort (age >44 yr) from baseline (1993 or 1999) until 2018 for incident and recurrent ALRIs defined by hospital contact (inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room) data from the National Patient Register. Residential annual mean concentrations of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon were modeled using the Danish Eulerian Hemispheric Model/Urban Background Model/Air Geographic Information System. We used marginal Cox models with time-varying exposures to assess the association of 3-year running mean air pollution level with incident and recurrent ALRIs and examined effect modification by age, socioeconomic status, smoking, physical activity, body mass index, and comorbidity with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Results: During a 21.3-year mean follow-up, 4,746 ALRIs were observed, of which 2,553 were incident. We observed strong positive associations of all three pollutants with incident ALRIs, with hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of 1.19 (1.08-1.31) per 2.5 µg/m3 for fine particulate matter, 1.17 (1.11-1.24) per 8.0 µg/m3 for NO2, and 1.09 (1.05-1.12) per 0.3 µg/m3 for black carbon, and slightly stronger associations with recurrent ALRIs. Associations were strongest in patients with COPD and nurses with low physical activity. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to air pollution at low levels was associated with risks of new and recurrent ALRIs, with patients with COPD and physically inactive subjects most vulnerable.

Lifetime exposure to air pollution and academic achievement: A nationwide cohort study in Denmark.

Recent research suggests a link between air pollution and cognitive development in children, and studies on air pollution and academic achievement are emerging. We conducted a nationwide cohort study in Denmark to explore the associations between lifetime exposure to air pollution and academic performance in 9th grade. The study encompassed 785,312 children born in Denmark between 1989 and 2005, all of whom completed 9th-grade exit examinations. Using linear mixed models with a random intercept for each school, we assessed the relationship between 16 years of exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and gaseous pollutants and Grade Point Averages (GPA) in exit examinations, covering subjects such as Danish literature, Danish writing, English, mathematics, and natural sciences. The study revealed that a 5 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 was associated with a decrease of 0.99 (95 % Confidence Intervals: -1.05, -0.92) and 0.46 (-0.50, -0.41) in GPA, respectively. Notably, these negative associations were more pronounced in mathematics and natural sciences compared to language-related subjects. Additionally, girls and children with non-Danish mothers were found to be particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of air pollution exposure. These results underscore the potential long-term consequences of air pollution on academic achievement, emphasizing the significance of interventions that foster healthier environments for children's cognitive development.