Effects of air pollution on blood pressure and heart rate variability: a panel study of vehicular traffic controllers in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluating the effects of air pollution on Sao Paulo city's vehicular traffic controllers by means of risk indicators for cardiovascular diseases.


RESULTS
Twenty-four hour blood pressure recordings and an electrocardiogram were obtained in 48 healthy, non-smoking vehicular traffic controllers, aged 31-55 years, during three periods: winter 2000, summer 2001, and winter 2001. Effects of air pollutants on the outcomes were estimated using linear regression based on generalized estimated equations, controlling for age, body mass index, humidity, and temperature. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in CO (1.1 p.p.m.) was associated with increases of 2.6 mmHg (95% CI 1.0, 4.2), 1.8 mmHg (95% CI 0.8, 2.8), and 2.4 mmHg (95% CI 1.1, 3.6) in systolic, diastolic, and mean 24 h ambulatory blood pressures. SO(2) also had relevant effects on blood pressure. On heart rate variability, an IQR increase of SO2 (9.6 microg/m3) was negatively associated with the standard deviation (SD) of normal RR intervals (SDNN) -7.93 ms (95% CI -15.3, -0.6).


CONCLUSIONS
This study supplies biological plausibility for observational studies on air pollution-related cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
de Paula Santos
Ubiratan
U
Divisão de Pneumologia, Instituto do Coração (InCor), Av. Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 44, CEP 05403-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. pneubiratan@incor.usp.br
Braga
Alfésio Luís Ferreira
AL
Giorgi
Dante Marcelo Artigas
DM
Pereira
Luiz Alberto Amador
LA
Grupi
César Jose
CJ
Lin
Chin An
CA
Bussacos
Marcos Antonio
MA
Zanetta
Dirce Maria Trevisan
DM
do Nascimento Saldiva
Paulo Hilário
PH
Filho
Mario Terra
MT
D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D001336:Automobiles; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D012307:Risk Factors; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D013696:Temperature
D000393:Air Pollutants; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D009569:Nitric Oxide