title: Short-term effects of air pollution on heart rate variability in senior adults in Steubenville, Ohio.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the association between ambient air pollution levels and heart rate variability (HRV) in a panel study of 32 subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used linear mixed models to analyze the effects of fine particles (PM2.5), sulfate (SO4), elemental carbon (EC), and gases on log-transformed standard deviation of normal RR intervals (SDNN), mean square of differences between adjacent RR intervals (r-MSSD), and high- and low-frequency power (HF, LF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  An interquartile range (IQR) increase of 5.1 mug/m in SO4 on the previous day was associated with a decrease of -3.3% SDNN (95% confidence = -6.0% to -0.5%), -5.6% r-MSSD (-10.7% to -0.2%), and -10.3% HF (-19.5% to -0.1%). Associations with total PM2.5 were similar. HRV was not associated with EC, NO2, SO2, or O3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In addition to traffic-related particles, elevated levels of sulfate particles may also adversely affect autonomic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. hgibson@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luttmann-Gibson
authors.forename: Helen H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Coull
authors.forename: Douglas W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Dockery
authors.forename: Stefanie E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Sarnat
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Diane R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions