The Relationships of Air Pollution and Meteorological Factors with Acute Aortic Dissection in Urumqi, China: A Distributed Lag Nonlinear Model Analysis.

Objective: While prior studies link individual meteorological and air quality factors to acute aortic dissection (AAD), their combined lagged effects remain poorly understood. This study evaluates how air pollution and weather conditions collectively influence AAD risk in Urumqi, China.

Methods: The results show that the onset of AAD predominantly occurs in the cold season, exhibiting distinct seasonal characteristics. Meanwhile, PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and the average dew point are significantly correlated with an increased risk of AAD. Males are more sensitive to certain pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2) and the average dew point. In contrast, in females, CO surprisingly has a protective effect. Among people aged ≤ 50, O3_8h and the average dew point have a strong cumulative correlation with the incidence of AAD, while CO exposure and the maximum sustained wind speed are negatively correlated with the incidence of AAD. Individuals aged over 50 show little sensitivity to air pollutants and meteorological conditions. Under extreme conditions, the concentrations of PM2.5, SO2, and PM10 can still increase the risk of AAD onset.

Conclusion: Air pollution and meteorological factors significantly impact AAD risk, highlighting the need to consider these factors in prevention and management strategies.