Living in a bustling polluted city could raise the risk of an autoimmune condition affecting 50,000 Britons, alarming research has suggested.
Scientists have long tried to unpick what exactly triggers systemic lupus erythematosus, more commonly known as lupus, to occur.
The condition, which is also suffered by Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga and Nick Cannon, sees body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue instead.
But researchers in China now believe long-term exposure to air pollution ‘may increase the risk of developing lupus’.
Dr Yaohua Tian, an expert in air pollutants and chronic disease at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and study co-author, said: ‘Our study provides crucial insights into the air pollution contributing to autoimmune diseases.
‘The findings can inform the development of stricter air quality regulations to mitigate exposure to harmful pollutants, thereby reducing the risk of lupus.’
Patients with the condition often experience flare-ups where symptoms like joint and muscle pain, extreme fatigue and rashes get worse.
These episodes can last for weeks or longer.
In the new study, the Chinese researchers followed 460,000 patients and found 399 people were diagnosed with lupus over a 12 year period.
Average levels of six pollutants close to their homes were also assessed.
These included PM2.5 — which stands for particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter — nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
All four have been linked to health woes such as heart disease and dementia.
These particles, emitted by car exhausts, cleaning products and wood-burning stoves, among many other things, can be so small they travel deep into the lungs and bloodstream.
The researchers there was one in 1,000 risk of lupus among those exposed to the highest levels of NO2, and just 0.075 in 1,000 risk in those exposed to the lowest levels.
This trend was reflected among all three other particles.
Writing in the journal, Arthritis and Rheumatology, the scientists said the results provide ‘crucial insights into the environmental factors contributing to autoimmune diseases’.
They added: ‘Findings can inform the development of stricter air quality regulations to mitigate exposure to harmful pollutants, thereby reducing the risk of lupus.’
Researchers, however, acknowledged the study had ‘certain limitations’ including the study’s participants enrolling voluntarily.
This means they ‘may have been healthier, more health conscious or more willing to participate in the study, they added.
The World Health Organization has long demanded countries take tougher action to combat the scourge of pollution, which is thought to kill 7million people every year globally.
According to Lupus UK, about one in every 50,000 people in the UK have the condition.
There is no cure for lupus with treatment instead designed to help people manage their symptoms.
Lupus can range from mild, when it causes skin or joint problems to severe where it can cause life- threatening to organs.
Flare-ups, periods where symptoms get worse are another aspect of the condition scientists are still trying to understand.
Both what triggers them and what causes them to subside isn’t yet clear.
Further complicating the topic is that some patients don’t experience flare-ups at all.
WHAT IS LUPUS?
It is one of the chronic autoimmune conditions, where the body makes antibodies against itself and starts to attack it. Lupus – Systemic Lupus Erythematotsus (SLE) – has a range of severity. Some sufferers will have only mild problems, others have life-threatening organ damage to the heart and the kidneys.
What are the symptoms?
Tiredness, joint pains and muscle aches. A common first symptom is joint stiffness, particularly in the mornings. Skin and hair problems are a major feature of SLE – a rash in the shape of a butterfly over the cheeks and nose is common, as is hair loss and sensitivity to the sun. Other problems include depression and lung and heart disease, as well as kidney inflammation.
What can it be mistaken for?
It is often mistaken for other joint problems such as rheumatoid arthritis which is also characterised by morning joint stiffness. It can also be misdiagnosed as a skin or blood disease.
How is it diagnosed?
If your GP suspects SLE they will request a blood test. The specific antibodies that attack the body can be measured in the blood. The diagnosis is made when there is the combination of typical symptoms and high antibodies.
Who is at risk?
SLE is ten times more common in women than men and usually develops between the ages 12 and 25.
What is the treatment?
Controlling the symptoms, as there is no cure, using anti-inflammatories and steroid tablets in more severe cases.
