Impact of Desert Dust Events on the Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Whether or not inhalation of airborne desert dust has adverse health effects is unknown. The present study, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis, was carried out to assess the influence desert dust on cardiovascular mortality, acute coronary syndrome, and heart failure. Methods: A systematic search was made in PubMed and Embase databases for studies published before March 2020. Studies based on daily measurements of desert dust were identified. The meta-analysis evaluated the impact of desert dust on cardiovascular events the same day (lag 0) of the exposure and during several days after the exposure (lags 1 to 5). The combined impact of several days of exposure was also evaluated. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated using the inverse variance random effects method. Results: Of the 589 identified titles, a total of 15 studies were selected. The impact of desert dust on the incidence of cardiovascular mortality was statistically significant (IRR = 1.018 (95%CI 1.008-1.027); p < 0.001) in lag 0 of the dust episode, in the following day (lag 1) (IRR = 1.005 (95%CI 1.001-1.009); p = 0.022), and during both days combined (lag 0-1) (IRR = 1.015 (95%CI 1.003-1.028); p = 0.014). Conclusions: The inhalation to desert dust results in a 2% increase (for every 10 mu g/m(3)) in cardiovascular mortality risk.

Automated summary

Through a systematic review and meta-analysis, this study found that inhalation of desert dust significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality, especially on the day of exposure and the following day. The results of the study show that exposure to every 10 mu g/m(3) of desert dust increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality by 2%.