Variations in blood count parameters are potential mechanisms involved in the occurrence of cardiovascular events caused by particulate matter (PM) exposure. This study aims to estimate the effect of PM₁₀ exposure on blood count parameters with potential to mediate a cardiovascular event. We used data from 2211 participants of the 1st Portuguese Health Examination Survey (INSEF, 2015) with available information on blood count parameters and living within a 30-km radius of at least one air quality monitoring station with available PM₁₀ measurements. Generalised linear models were used to assess both short (3 days) and long-term effects (1 year) of PM₁₀ exposure on blood count parameters. Both short and long-term PM₁₀ effects on blood count parameters were found, with males and females affected in a different way. In the short-term scenario, we found a 2.76% (95% CI: 0.65–4.87) increase in white blood cells among females per each 10μg/m³ PM₁₀ increment. Additionally, there was a 2.96% (95% CI: 0.80–5.12) increase in red cell distribution width (RDW), per each 10μg/m³ PM₁₀ increment, among males, when considering the long-term scenario. In conclusion, we detected some sex-differential associations regarding the short and long-term effect of PM₁₀ exposure on blood count parameters with potential to mediate a cardiovascular event, namely on the RDW parameter, that were never been described. It is uncertain whether changes in blood count parameters due to PM₁₀ exposure constitute an adverse health outcome or it reflects only a normal immunity response. However, due to its potential to trigger cardiovascular events, it is essential to reduce PM₁₀ levels exposure to protect the population’s cardiovascular health.

血细胞计数参数的变化是由颗粒物（PM）暴露引起的心血管事件发生的潜在机制。这项研究旨在评估PM ₁₀暴露对可能介导心血管事件的血细胞计数参数的影响。我们使用了第一次葡萄牙健康检查调查（INSEF，2015年）的2211名参与者的数据，以及关于血液计数参数的信息以及居住在至少一个空气质量监测站的30公里半径范围内的数据，并进行了PM ₁₀测量。使用广义线性模型评估PM ₁₀暴露对血细胞计数参数的短期（3天）和长期影响（1年）。短期和长期PM ₁₀发现了对血细胞计数参数的影响，男性和女性的感染方式不同。在短期情况下，我们发现每增加10μg/ m ³ PM ₁₀，女性白细胞增加2.76％（95％CI：0.65-4.87）。此外，考虑到长期情况，男性每增加10μg/ m ³ PM ₁₀，红细胞分布宽度（RDW）就会增加2.96％（95％CI：0.80–5.12）。总之，我们发现了与PM ₁₀短期和长期影响有关的性别差异从未描述过有可能介导心血管事件的血细胞计数参数（即RDW参数）暴露。尚不确定由于暴露于PM ₁₀而导致的血液计数参数变化是否构成不利的健康结果，还是仅反映正常的免疫反应。但是，由于其可能引发心血管事件，因此必须降低PM _10的暴露水平以保护人群的心血管健康。