PM10 concentration and microbiological assessment of air in relation to the number of acute cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Lubelskie Voivodeship. Preliminary report

Introduction. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relation between the concentration of particulate matter of less than 10 μm in diameter (PM10) in air and the effect of psychrophilic bacteria, mesophilic bacteria and mould fungi on the number of new cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents in the Lubelskie Voivodeship in the years 2015-2016. Patients and methods. Epidemiological data on the number of new cases of T1DM was obtained from the Department of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology of the Medical University in Lublin. The number of births for the year 2015 and 2016 in the Lublin Voivodeship was acquired from the statistical yearbook by the Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS). Data on PM10 concentration in the Lubelskie Voivodeship was obtained from the report and annual evaluations of air quality prepared by the Voivodeship Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (WIOŚ) in Lublin. The analysis of psychrophilic bacteria, mesophilic bacteria and mould fungi in air was performed with use of the impact method and an air sampler. Results. In the years 2015-2016 in the Lubelskie Voivodeship the number of births was 39 381 and 152 new cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus were recorded. The annual and 24-hour concentration of PM10 in air in 2015 was higher compared to 2016; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, we detected a higher number of psychrophilic bacteria 2739 vs 1000 CFU/m3 and a significantly higher number of mesophilic bacteria 92493 vs 1000 CFU/m3 than the norm specified in the Polish standard PN-89/Z-04111/02. A further analysis of air samples collected in the Lubelskie Voivodeship revealed lower a concentration of mould fungi compared to the Polish standard PN-89/Z-04111/02 (3840 vs 5000 CFU/m3, respectively). We isolated 9 types of mould fungi and 1 type of yeast-like fungus that are thought to have a negative effect on people’s health. The statistical analysis revealed a relation between the number of new cases of T1DM and the number of psychrophilic bacteria (β= 2.86; p<0.05), mesophilic bacteria (β = 2.824; p<0.05) and the number of mould fungi (β=2.923; p<0.001). The analysis of linear regression revealed a relation between the number of new T1DM cases and mean annual concentration of PM10 for the year 2016 (p<0.001). However, there was no relation observed between the number of new cases of T1DM and the mean annual concentration of PM10 in air in the Lubelskie Voivodeship in 2015. Conclusions. Our preliminary results confirm the not yet fully explored relation between air pollution and the risk of type 1 DM in children and adolescents.