Associations between ambient fine particulate levels and disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

摘要

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic disease of unclear etiology, characterized by an overactive immune system and the production of antibodies that may target normal tissues of many organ systems, including the kidneys. It can arise at any age and occurs mainly in women. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the potential influence of particulate matter (PM) air pollution on clinical aspects of SLE. METHODS: We studied a clinic cohort of SLE patients living on the island of Montreal, followed annually with a structured clinical assessment. We assessed the association between ambient levels of fine PM [median aerodynamic diameter