The Lancet Planetary Health, February 2025

A national retrospective cohort study in the USA

The impacts of air pollution on mortality and hospital readmission among Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias

Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) are prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, posing a critical worldwide public health challenge. Ambient air pollution has been identified as a potential risk factor for AD progression based on toxicological and epidemiological studies.

We aimed to evaluate the impacts of air pollution—including fine particulate matter (PM2·5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), summer ozone (O3), and oxidant—on readmission or death among Medicare enrollees previously hospitalised with an AD/ADRD diagnosis code.