title: Air pollution and autonomic and vascular dysfunction in patients with cardiovascular disease: interactions of systemic inflammation, overweight, and gender.
abstract: The authors conducted a 2-year follow-up of 40 cardiovascular disease patients (mean age = 65.6 years (standard deviation, 5.8)) who underwent repeated measurements of cardiovascular response before and during the 2008 Beijing Olympics (Beijing, China), when air pollution was strictly controlled. Ambient levels of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM(2.5)), black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide were measured continuously, with validation of concurrent real-time measurements of personal exposure to PM(2.5) and carbon monoxide. Linear mixed-effects models were used with adjustment for individual risk factors, time-varying factors, and meteorologic effects. Significant heart rate variability reduction and blood pressure elevation were observed in association with exposure to air pollution. Specifically, interquartile-range increases of 51.8 µg/m(3), 2.02 µg/m(3), and 13.7 ppb in prior 4-hour exposure to PM(2.5), black carbon, and nitrogen dioxide were associated with significant reductions in the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals of 4.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.9, 6.4), 4.2% (95% CI: 1.8, 6.6), and 3.9% (95% CI: 2.2, 5.7), respectively. Greater heart rate variability declines were observed among subjects with C-reactive protein values above the 90th percentile, subjects with a body mass index greater than 25, and females. The authors conclude that autonomic and vascular dysfunction may be one of the mechanisms through which air pollution exposure can increase cardiovascular disease risk, especially among persons with systemic inflammation and overweight.
authors: SKJ Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Huang
authors: Tong
authors: T
authors: Zhu
authors: Xiaochuan
authors: X
authors: Pan
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Hu
authors: Shou-En
authors: SE
authors: Lu
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Lin
authors: Tong
authors: T
authors: Wang
authors: Yuanhang
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Xiaoyan
authors: X
authors: Tang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015984:Causality; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide