ArticleEuropean heart journal2026
Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke particulate matter and incident stroke: a US nationwide study.
Article in European heart journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Environmental Exposures and Stroke Risk: Converging Pathways, Unequal Burdens, and Prevention Opportunities.Current neurology and neuroscience reports · 2026Review
- A Comparative Analysis of Wildland Fire Smoke PMGeoHealth · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsWildfire smoke is a growing public health concern, particularly due to its high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations. While short-term exposure has been linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, long-term effects remain understudied. This study examined the association between long-term wildfire smoke PM2.5 exposure and incident stroke among older US adults.
methodsA national open cohort study was conducted among Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries aged ≥65 years from 2007 to 2018. Stroke cases were identified using validated Medicare claims. Wildfire smoke PM2.5 exposure was estimated at a 1 km2 resolution using a machine learning model distinguishing smoke-specific PM2.5 from other ambient sources. Stratified Cox proportional hazards models with generalized estimating equations were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) per 1 µg/m3 increase in wildfire smoke PM2.5, adjusting for non-smoke PM2.5, meteorological variables, socio-economic status, and healthcare capacity.
resultsAmong ∼25 million beneficiaries, ∼2.9 million incident stroke cases occurred. Long-term wildfire smoke PM2.5 exposure was significantly associated with increased stroke risk. Stronger associations were observed for longer exposure windows. For instance, per 1 µg/m3 increase in 3-year average wildfire smoke PM2.5 was associated with a 1.3% increase in stroke risk (HR: 1.013; 95% CI: 1.006, 1.020). Associations for wildfire smoke PM2.5 were generally stronger than for non-smoke PM2.5 per unit exposure.
conclusionsThis study provides national-scale evidence that chronic exposure to wildfire smoke PM2.5 increases stroke risk in older adults. These findings underscore the long-term health risks of wildfire smoke and support policies aimed at reducing exposure, especially among vulnerable populations.
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