Aspirin can halve the effects of air pollution

Aspirin can reduce the negative effects of air pollution, an attractive new study has just concluded.

Researchers from Columbia, Harvard and Boston Universities analyzed a set of data collected from 2,280 older veterans in the Boston area. The median age of participants was 73. They were examined to determine lung function.

The researchers examined the relationship between the test results, self-reported use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) , and fine particulates and carbon particles in their habitats for the month prior to the test.

The study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Rehabilitation accounted for many factors, including the person's health status and whether he smoked.

Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs helps reduce the effect of fine dust particles on lung function.

They found that the use of any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug nearly halved the influence of fine dust particles on lung function, with a consistent association in all four air pollution measurements.

Fine dust particles come from a range of sources, including burning fossil fuels in vehicles and power plants.

While there has been no study on how aspirin works to reduce the effects of air pollution, the researchers speculate that it is because nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs work to reduce air pollution inflammation.

"Our findings suggest that aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may protect , " said Xu Gao, a postdoctoral research scientist at the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia Mailman School. lungs from short-term mutations in air pollution '.

Of course, the scientist advises that it is still important to minimize exposure to air pollution, as it is linked to a host of adverse health effects from cancer to cardiovascular disease.

A previous study from Columbia University showed that vitamin B may also play a role in reducing the negative effects of air pollution.