title: Air pollution and cardiovascular disease in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
abstract: Research to date demonstrates a relationship between exposure to ambient air pollutants and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many studies have shown associations between short-term exposures to elevated levels of air pollutants and CVD events, and several cohort studies suggest effects of long-term exposure on cardiovascular mortality, coronary heart disease events, and stroke. The biologic mechanisms underlying this long-term exposure relationship are not entirely clear but are hypothesized to include systemic inflammation, autonomic nervous system imbalance, changes in vascular compliance, altered cardiac structure, and development of atherosclerosis. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis provides an especially well-characterized population in which to investigate the relationship between air pollution and CVD and to explore these biologic pathways. This article reviews findings reported to date within this cohort and summarizes the aims and anticipated contributions of a major ancillary study, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. eagill@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Curl
authors.forename: Sara D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Adar
authors.forename: Ryan W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Amy H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Auchincloss
authors.forename: Marie S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Sung Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Victor C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Van Hee
authors.forename: Ana V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Diez Roux
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kaufman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011634:Public Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter