Air pollution as a hidden threat to pediatric autoimmune diseases: A policy brief

Zarei, Sadegh; Hosseini Zijoud, Solmaz Sadat; Sajadian, Mojtaba; Bemani Zare Sharifabad, Fatemeh

doi:10.48307/FMSJ.2025.29.S.694

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Volume 29, Issue 7 (Special Issue 2025)

Feyz Med Sci J 2025, 29(7): 694-699

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Air pollution as a hidden threat to pediatric autoimmune diseases: A policy brief

Sadegh Zarei

, Solmaz Sadat Hosseini Zijoud

, Mojtaba Sajadian

, Fatemeh Bemani Zare Sharifabad ^*

Department of Pediatrics, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran , medical87f@gmail.com

Abstract: (140 Views)

The global rise in autoimmune diseases among children represents a significant and costly public health challenge. Concurrently, air pollution remains a pervasive environmental threat, with children being uniquely vulnerable. A robust and growing body of evidence now substantiates a link between exposure to various air pollutants, particularly during critical developmental windows, and an increased risk of onset, exacerbation, and progression of pediatric autoimmune conditions.
This policy brief aims to synthesize the current epidemiological, clinical, and mechanistic evidence on the association between air pollution and pediatric autoimmune diseases. It will delineate the biological pathways, identify vulnerable populations and critical exposure windows, and propose a multi-faceted, evidence-based policy response to mitigate this significant environmental health risk.
Urgent and coordinated action is required to integrate air quality and children's health considerations into the core of public health policy. Key recommendations include strengthening and enforcing air quality standards based on immunological health, rather than solely on cardiopulmonary endpoints. We further advocate for promoting targeted longitudinal research to identify critical exposure windows and vulnerable sub-populations. It is essential to implement robust public health advisories and clinical guidance for at-risk families and to foster cross-sectoral collaboration between health, environmental, and transportation agencies. Empowering communities, especially those in environmentally overburdened areas, through the creation of low-emission zones around schools and the promotion of air filtration technologies is a critical step to protect children's immune development from this modifiable environmental risk factor.

Keywords: Air pollution, Pediatric autoimmune disease, Public health policy, Environmental exposure, Policy brief

Full-Text [PDF 333 kb] (23 Downloads)

Type of Study: Applicable | Subject: medicine, paraclinic
Received: 2025/11/17 | Revised: 2026/04/8 | Accepted: 2026/02/15 | Published: 2026/03/15

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Zarei S, Hosseini Zijoud S S, Sajadian M, Bemani Zare Sharifabad F. Air pollution as a hidden threat to pediatric autoimmune diseases: A policy brief. Feyz Med Sci J 2025; 29 (7) :694-699
URL: http://feyz.kaums.ac.ir/article-1-5439-en.html

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