Short-term and long-term effects of air pollution on acute lower respiratory infections incidence and mortality: an overview and critical appraisal of systematic reviews

This overview systematically assessed systematic reviews using AMSTAR2-EH, highlighting methodological gaps, particularly in short-term studies, bias assessment and protocol registration. Overall, the evidence suggests a mild but significant association between short-term exposure to air pollutants and pneumonia incidence, and a stronger, more consistent association between long-term exposure and ALRI incidence and mortality, especially for NO₂ and PM_2.5. These findings can inform public health policies and environmental regulations aimed at reducing respiratory disease burden due to air pollution.