Overview

• The analysis drew on 19,325 obstructive sleep apnea patients across 25 cities in 14 countries, pairing clinical sleep-study data with Copernicus PM10 records.
• Each one-unit rise in PM10 was associated with an average 0.41 additional respiratory events per hour of sleep after accounting for known risk factors.
• The strength of the association differed by city, with particularly strong links in Lisbon, Paris, and Athens, pointing to possible local modifiers.
• Researchers stress the findings are observational and plan follow-up work to test mechanisms, pinpoint vulnerable groups, and assess whether pollution cuts or indoor air filtration improve symptoms.
• PM10 commonly comes from vehicle exhausts, industry, and burning solid fuels such as wood stoves, while obstructive sleep apnea is tied to risks including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.