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. 2021 May 18;14(2):123–138. doi: 10.1111/jebm.12430

TABLE 3.

Effect of NO2 on COVID‐19 cases and mortality

Author Country Period Analysis method Quantified results
Li et al 44 Wuhan and Xiaogan, China 26 Jan to 29 Feb 2020 Linear regression model NO2 was prominently correlated with COVID‐19 incidence.
Jiang et al 64 Wuhan, Xiaogan, and Huanggang, China 25 Jan to 29 Feb 2020 Multivariate Poisson's regression NO2 was positively correlated with daily COVID‐19 incidence in Wuhan (1.056, 95% CI: 1.053‐1.059) and Xiaogan (1.115, 95%CI: 1.095‐1.136).
Yao et al 76 11 Hubei cities 1 Jan to 8 Feb 2020 Multiple linear regression, residual analysis, principal component analysis, meta‐analysis method NO2 concentration (with 12‐day time lag) was positively related to transmission ability (basic reproductive number) of the 11 Hubei cities (except Xianning City).
Liang et al 70 3 122 US counties

22 Jan to 29 Apr

2020

 Zero‐inflated negative binomial models Per interquartile range (IQR) increase in NO2 (4.6 ppb) was associated with an increase of COVID‐19 case‐fatality rate (7.1%, 95% CI: 1.2%‐13.4%) and mortality rate (11.2%, 95%CI: 3.4%‐19.5%), respectively.
Travaglio et al 56 England 2018‐2019 Generalized linear models, negative binomial regression analyses NO2 and NO were positively associated with COVID‐19 infectivity, with an odds ratio of approximately 1.03 for both the single‐year and multiyear model.
Ogen et al 77 66 administrative regions in Italy, Spain, France and Germany Jan to Feb 2020 NA NO2 was positively correlated with COVID‐19 fatality cases. Out of the 4443 fatality cases, 3487 (78%) were in five regions (have the highest NO2).
Lin et al 78 29 provinces, China 21 Jan to 3 Apr 2020 Chain‐binomial model, correlation analyses NO2 was inversely correlated to the basic reproductive ratio of COVID‐19.
Konstantinoudis et al 50 England Up to 30 June 2020 Bayesian hierarchical models Every 1 μg/m3 increase in NO2 was associated with a 0.5% (95% CI: −0.2%‐1.2%) increase in COVID‐19 mortality risk.
Zoran et al 71 Milan, Italy 1 Jan to 30 Apr 2020 Time series analysis Ground level NO2 was inversely correlated with COVID‐19 infections.
Liu et al 2 9 countries 21 Jan to 20 May 2020 Discontinuous linear regression The aggravating effect of NO2 on COVID‐19 infection appears in Canada and France.
Landoni et al 63 33 European countries NA Pearson's correlation analysis NO2 was positively correlated with positive COVID‐19 cases and deaths.
Mele et al 75 3 major French cities NA Machine learning NO2 levels contribute to COVID‐19 deaths and exist threshold values.
Magazzino et al 69 3 French cities 18 Mar to 27 Apr 2020 Machine Learning experiments NO2 accelerated COVID‐19 deaths.
Zhu et al 49 120 cities, China 23 Jan to 29 Feb 2020 Generalized additive model Every 10 mg/m3 increase of NO2 was associated with a 6.94% (95% CI: 2.38‐11.51) increase in the daily counts of confirmed COVID‐19 cases.
Saez et al 72 Catalonia (Spain) 25 Feb to 16 May 2020 Spearman's nonparametric correlation NO2 was significantly correlated with COVID‐19 incidence, mortality, and lethality rates.
Fattorini et al 66 71 Italian Provinces Up to 27 April 2020 NA NO2 was significantly correlated with cases of COVID‐19.
Chakraborty et al 73 18 Indian States 8 Jun to 15 Jun 2020 Pearson's correlation coefficient and regression analysis NO2 showed strong positive correlation between the absolute number of COVID‐19 deaths (r = 0.79, P < 0.05) and case fatality rate (r = 0.74, P < 0.05).
Filippini et al 74 28 provinces (Northern Italy) 1 Feb to 5 Apr 2020 Multivariable restricted cubic spline regression model NO2 was significantly correlated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection prevalence rate.

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