Poor Utah air quality may be even more dangerous than previously believed, research shows

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Researchers with University of Utah Health have linked air pollution along the Wasatch Front with a higher risk of brain bleed.

Led by neurosurgeon Robert Rennert, M.D., researchers studied 70 patients treated at the University of Utah hospital for brain bleeds, caused by aneurysms, over the last five years. Rennert’s team says they were able to find nearly 13,000 data points to determine levels of PM2.5 (a common particulate found in air pollution).

“We found that these patients were experiencing higher rates of aneurysmal rupture 3-6 months after peaks in air pollution levels,” Rennert said. 

According to the American Lung Association, the Salt Lake City-Provo area was ranked 25th in the nation for most polluted cities in the U.S. More specifically, the area was found to have high levels of PM2.5.

The particulate PM2.5 is 30 times finer than a human hair and can be easily inhaled. Previous research has found that it can damage lungs and contribute to a risk of strokes.

The team’s research was recently published in npj Clean Air.

“We’re hoping that our research helps alert people to the public health risks of air pollution, and encourages changes,” Rennert said.

Rennert says this study is just the beginning in the team’s efforts to understand the effects of air pollution on the brain. He says they hope to expand to studying regions beyond the Wasatch Front.