title: Atherosclerotic process in taxi drivers occupationally exposed to air pollution and co-morbidities.
abstract: Consistent evidence has indicated that the exposure to environmental air pollution increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to evaluate the possible effects of occupational exposure to air pollution, especially to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the influence of co-morbidities on the atherosclerotic process and inflammation. For that, biomarkers of exposure such as 1-hydroxypyrene urinary, oxidative damage and markers of cardiovascular risk were determined in plasma, serum and blood. In addition, inflammation models such as carotid intima-media thickness and serum inflammatory cytokines were analyzed in 58 taxi drivers with and without co-morbidity. The results demonstrated that considering only taxi drivers without co-morbidities, 15% presented carotid intima-media thickness above reference values. For the first time it has been demonstrated that urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels were associated with carotid intima-media thickness and with serum homocysteine levels. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that several factors may contribute to the increased carotid intima-media thickness, among which age, interleukin-6, fibrinogen and exposure to PAHs stand out. In summary, our results suggest that chronic occupational exposure to atmospheric pollution could be an additional contributor to the atherogenesis process, leading to impaired vascular health. Moreover, carotid intima-media thickness, serum homocysteine levels, fibrinogen and the total cholesterol/HDL-c ratio could be suggested as preventive measures to monitor drivers' health.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natália
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brucker
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariele F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Charão
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bubols
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Institute of Cardiology, University Cardiology Foundation, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fracasso
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Institute of Cardiology, University Cardiology Foundation, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliano
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durgante
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Thiesen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Lutheran University of Brazil, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marta M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gioda
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, University Cardiology Foundation, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Iran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Saldiva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Clinical Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Institute of Cardiology, University Cardiology Foundation, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: solange.garcia@ufrgs.br.
authors.forename: Solange C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase
keywords: 1-Hydroxypyrene; Carotid intima-media thickness; Inflammation; Occupational exposure