Mapping Clinical Disease Patterns Potentially Associated with Microplastic Exposure: A Narrative Review across Twenty-One Disease Categories

Microplastics and Nanoplastics (MNPs) have emerged as pervasive environmental contaminants with growing evidence of systemic health effects. This study characterizes the spectrum of signs and symptoms associated with MNP exposure, examining potential mechanisms of toxicity, patterns of exposure, and biological responses. By integrating clinical observations and emerging experimental data, the research aims to clarify possible links between MNPs and inflammatory, metabolic, and neurological outcomes. Clinical data from 21 different classes of diseases, comprising of 375 illness were analyzed on the base of the 26 of the most common sign and symptoms, supplemented by to 4 variables related to the environment for a total of 30 (defined as Chicago Cluster System or CCS). Illnesses characterized by at least 8 signs were considered relevant. Association was explored though integration of the current literature. 40 diseases (21 chronic and 19 acute) across 12 different Classes were found to align with the 30 sign and symptoms of the CCS. Chronic illnesses included Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson, Diabetes Type 2, IrritableBowel Syndrome (IBS), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Rheumatoid arthritis, and Post Covid-19 syndrome, Acute illnesses included illnesses while Gastroenteritis, Pancreatitis, Meningitis, Acute Pneumonia and Acute hepatitis. The most represented sign and symptoms were fatigue, dyspepsia, C-Reactive Protein (CRP) increase, fever, cognitive changes, hematological abnormalities and imaging modifications. MNP exposure is associated with a multisystemic clinical presentation. These findings underscore the need to recognize MNPs as environmental cofactors in complex disease syndromes and to integrate clinical, biochemical, and imaging evidence in future epidemiological studies.