Air Pollution and COVID-19 Mortality in Geriatric Patients: a Multicenter Study

Epidemiological data have related particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality at the population level. Air pollution may be related to an increase in the COVID-19 severity and lethality through its impact on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and diabetes that are also the main comorbidities associated with COVID-19. Epidemiological studies using individual data are needed to provide more precise estimate of the association between air pollution exposure and COVID-19. In this multicenter prospective study, the investigators will analyze the number of deaths in COVID-19 confirmed cases in geriatric patients according to long-term exposure to air pollution, taking into account confounders such as diabetes, hypertension, age, and BMI. Exposure to air pollution will be estimated as the mean concentration of air pollutants at the residential address during the previous two years. In addition, the investigators will explore the relationship between short-term variations in air pollutants, relative humidity, temperature, UV radiations, pollen and the occurrence of COVID-19.