Short-term inhalation of particulate transition metals has little effect on the electrocardiograms of dogs having preexisting cardiac abnormalities.
There is growing epidemiological evidence for statistical associations between increases in air pollution, especially particulate matter, and increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Laboratory studies have shown that transition metals contribute strongly to the effects of high lung doses of model particles on changes in the electrocardiograms of animals. The present study evaluated the effects of short-term inhalation exposure to respirable particles of specific oxide and sulfate forms of transition metals on heart rate and the electrocardiogram of old dogs having preexisting cardiac abnormalities. Conscious beagle dogs were exposed by oral inhalation for 3 h on each of 3 successive days to aerosols of manganese, nickel, vanadium, iron, and copper oxides, and nickel and vanadium sulfates as single compounds at concentrations of 0.05 mg/m(3). Electrocardiograms were recorded and evaluated for exposure-related changes in heart rate, heart rate variability, and abnormalities of waveforms. Although the electrocardiograms of this population of dogs having potential age and cardiovascular susceptibility factors reflected their underlying clinical abnormalities, no significant effect of exposure to the transition metal aerosols was observed.
Muggenburg
B A
BA
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, 2425 Ridgecrest Dr. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA. bmuggenb@lrri.org
Benson
J M
JM
Barr
E B
EB
Kubatko
J
J
Tilley
L P
LP
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D018376:Cardiovascular Abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004285:Dogs; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D017895:Manganese Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009532:Nickel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D028561:Transition Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017968:Vanadium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000188:drug therapy
D000393:Air Pollutants; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D017895:Manganese Compounds; D010087:Oxides; D028561:Transition Elements; D017968:Vanadium Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; C027424:manganese oxide; C034028:vanadyl sulfate; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; C066075:vanadium pentoxide; C028007:nickel monoxide