title: Controlled exposure to particulate matter from urban street air is associated with decreased vasodilation and heart rate variability in overweight and older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to particulate matter (PM) is generally associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Elderly and obese subjects may be particularly susceptible, although short-term effects are poorly described.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty healthy subjects (25 males, 35 females, age 55 to 83 years, body mass index>25 kg/m2) were included in a cross-over study with 5 hours of exposure to particle- or sham-filtered air from a busy street using an exposure-chamber. The sham- versus particle-filtered air had average particle number concentrations of ~23.000 versus ~1800/cm3 and PM2.5 levels of 24 versus 3 μg/m3, respectively. The PM contained similar fractions of elemental and black carbon (~20-25%) in both exposure scenarios. Reactive hyperemia and nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation in finger arteries and heart rate variability (HRV) measured within 1 h after exposure were primary outcomes. Potential explanatory mechanistic variables included markers of oxidative stress (ascorbate/dehydroascorbate, nitric oxide-production cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin and its oxidation product dihydrobiopterin) and inflammation markers (C-reactive protein and leukocyte differential counts).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation was reduced by 12% [95% confidence interval: -22%; -1.0%] following PM exposure, whereas hyperemia-induced vasodilation was reduced by 5% [95% confidence interval: -11.6%; 1.6%]. Moreover, HRV measurements showed that the high and low frequency domains were significantly decreased and increased, respectively. Redox and inflammatory status did not change significantly based on the above measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that exposure to real-life levels of PM from urban street air impairs the vasomotor function and HRV in overweight middle-aged and elderly adults, although this could not be explained by changes in inflammation, oxidative stress or nitric oxide-cofactors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, DK-1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark. jehe@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Jette G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hemmingsen
authors.affiliation: Division of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden. jenny.rissler@design.lth.se.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rissler
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ridebanevej 9, 1870 Frb. C., Copenhagen, Denmark. jopl@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lykkesfeldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden. gerd.sallsten@amm.gu.se.
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sallsten
authors.affiliation: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkalle 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. jkr@arbejdsmiljoforskning.dk.
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, DK-1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark. pemo@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Møller P
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, DK-1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark. stl@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loft
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D014507:Urbanization; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D052638:Particulate Matter