Association of Long-Term Exposure to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Incidence Varies across Populations with Different Predicted Risks: The China-PAR Project

Previous studies have established a significant link between ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) incidence, but whether this association varies across populations with different predicted ASCVD risks was uncertain previously. We included 109,374 Chinese adults without ASCVD at baseline from the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China (China-PAR) project. We obtained PM2.5 data of participants’ residential address from 2000 to 2015 using a satellite-based spatiotemporal model. Participants were classified into low-to-medium and high-risk groups according to the ASCVD 10-year and lifetime risk prediction scores. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for PM2.5 exposure-related incident ASCVD, as well as the multiplication and additive interaction, were calculated using stratified Cox proportional hazard models. The additive interaction between risk stratification and PM2.5 exposure was estimated by the synergy index (SI), the attributable proportion due to the interaction (API), and the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). Over the follow-up of 833,067 person-years, a total of 4230 incident ASCVD cases were identified. Each 10 μg/m3 increment of PM2.5 concentration was associated with 18% (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.14–1.23) increased risk of ASCVD in the total population, and the association was more pronounced among individuals having a high predicted ASCVD risk than those having a low-to-medium risk, with the HR (95% CI) of 1.24 (1.19–1.30) and 1.11 (1.02–1.20) per 10 μg/m3 increment in PM2.5 concentration, respectively. The RERI, API, and SI were 1.22 (95% CI: 0.62–1.81), 0.22 (95% CI: 0.12–0.32), and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.16–1.63), respectively. Our findings demonstrate a significant synergistic effect on ASCVD between ASCVD risk stratification and PM2.5 exposure and highlight the potential health benefits of reducing PM2.5 exposure in Chinese, especially among those with high ASCVD risk.