New research suggests that long-term exposure to air pollution may heighten the risk of developing lupus, an autoimmune condition impacting various organs.

In a recent study, researchers examined information from 459,815 participants in the UK Biobank. They identified 399 cases of lupus during an average follow-up period of 11.77 years. The study found a connection between exposure to air pollutants and an increased risk of developing lupus. Specifically, individuals with high genetic risk and high air pollution exposure were found to have the highest risk of developing lupus compared to those with a low genetic risk and low air pollution exposure.

“Our study offers important insights into the connection between air pollution and autoimmune diseases. The results could help create more stringent air quality regulations to reduce exposure to harmful pollutants, thus lowering the risk of lupus,” stated Dr Yaohua Tian, PhD, co-corresponding author from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China.