Abstract 9900: Air Pollution and Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Stroke is responsible for 5 million deaths per annum with two-thirds occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Whilst exposure to outdoor air pollution is strongly associated with acute cardiac events, the relationship between air pollution and stroke is less clear. We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed the evidence examining the association between air pollution and stroke hospitalisation or mortality. Methods: Five databases were searched for studies investigating the association between daily increases in gaseous pollutants (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone) and particulate matter (diameter <2·5 or 10 μm: PM2·5 and PM10), and stroke hospitalisation or mortality. We used a random-effects model to derive overall risk estimates per pollutant. Results: We identified 2,747 articles of which 238 were reviewed in-depth with 104 satisfying our inclusion criteria. This provided a total of 6.2 million events across 28 countries. Stroke hospitalisation or death f...