Table 2.

The inflammatory markers (mean ± SD) in COVID-19 patients (n = 4432) exposed to air pollutants (mean and max 24 h levels of PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and B(a)P) exceeding/not exceeding the limits during a week before hospitalization.

Parameter	Group	CRP [mg/L]	p	PCT [ng/mL]	p	WBC [ × 103/μL]	p	IL-6 [pg/mL]	p
mean 24 h PM10	≤50 μg/m3	78.7 ± 77.6	>0.05	0.5 ± 3.8	>0.05	6.9 ± 5.7	>0.05	74.0 ± 183.9	>0.05
	>50 μg/m3	66.7 ± 69.3		0.2 ± 0.5		6.5 ± 3.3		57.6 ± 133.8
max 24 h PM10	≤50 μg/m3	78.0 ± 77.5	>0.05	0.5 ± 3.8	>0.05	6.9 ± 6.2	>0.05	77.9 ± 158.9	>0.05
	>50 μg/m3	78.9 ± 76.8		0.5 ± 3.6		6.9 ± 3.7		77.1 ± 237.4
mean 24 h PM2.5	≤20 μg/m3	75.4 ± 76.6	>0.05	0.6 ± 4.0	>0.05	6.9 ± 5.1	>0.05	69.8 ± 156.9	>0.05
	>20 μg/m3	78.9 ± 76.4		0.5 ± 3.2		6.8 ± 3.4		79.7 ± 224.6
max 24 h PM2.5	≤20 μg/m3	68.6 ± 75.0	<0.001	0.6 ± 4.8	>0.05	6.6 ± 5.3	<0.01	56.8 ± 106.6	<0.001
	>20 μg/m3	80.8 ± 77.1		0.5 ± 3.1		7.0 ± 4.3		81.6 ± 210.5
mean 24 h B(a)P	≤1 ng/m3	65.7 ± 70.9	<0.001	0.6 ± 4.2	>0.05	6.7 ± 5.6	>0.05	56.3 ± 122.9	<0.01
	>1 ng/m3	81.6 ± 78.2		0.4 ± 3.6		6.9 ± 4.1		79.5 ± 200.9
max 24 h B(a)P	<1 ng/m3	65.5 ± 70.0	<0.001	0.6 ± 4.2	>0.05	6.7 ± 5.7	>0.05	56.0 ± 124.6	<0.01
	>1 ng/m3	81.6 ± 78.3		0.5 ± 3.6		6.9 ± 4.1		79.3 ± 199.5