title: Urban particulate matter air pollution is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis: results from the HNR (Heinz Nixdorf Recall) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the association of long-term residential exposure to fine particles with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Experimental and epidemiological evidence suggest that long-term exposure to air pollution might have a causal role in atherogenesis, but epidemiological findings are still inconsistent. We investigate whether urban particulate matter (PM) air pollution is associated with CIMT, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used baseline data (2000 to 2003) from the HNR (Heinz Nixdorf Recall) study, a population-based cohort of 4,814 participants, 45 to 75 years of age. We assessed residential long-term exposure to PM with a chemistry transport model and measured distance to high traffic. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate associations of air pollutants and traffic with CIMT, adjusting for each other, city of residence, age, sex, diabetes, and lifestyle variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median CIMT of the 3,380 analyzed participants was 0.66 mm (interquartile range 0.16 mm). An interdecile range increase in PM(2.5) (4.2 μg/m(3)), PM(10) (6.7 μg/m(3)), and distance to high traffic (1,939 m) was associated with a 4.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9% to 6.7%), 1.7% (95% CI: -0.7% to 4.1%), and 1.2% (95% CI: -0.2% to 2.6%) increase in CIMT, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows a clear association of long-term exposure to PM(2.5) with atherosclerosis. This finding strengthens the hypothesized role of PM(2.5) as a risk factor for atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, West German Heart Center Essen, University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moebus
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Möhlenkamp
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dragano
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nonnemacher
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuchsluger
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jakobs
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Memmesheimer
authors.forename: Raimund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Erbel
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jöckel
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter