Association Between Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution and Biomarkers Related to Insulin Resistance, Subclinical Inflammation, and Adipokines.
Insulin resistance (IR) is present long before the onset of type 2 diabetes and results not only from inherited and lifestyle factors but also likely from environmental conditions. We investigated the association between modeled long-term exposure to air pollution at residence and biomarkers related to IR, subclinical inflammation, and adipokines. Data were based on 2,944 participants of the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region Augsburg) F4 study conducted in southern Germany (2006-2008). We analyzed associations between individual air pollution concentration estimated by land use regression and HOMA-IR, glucose, insulin, HbA1c, leptin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels from fasting samples using multivariable linear regression models. Effect estimates were calculated for the whole study population and subgroups of individuals who did not have diabetes, had prediabetes, or had diabetes. Among all participants, a 7.9 μg/m3increment in particulate matter of <10 μm was associated with higher HOMA-IR (15.6% [95% CI 4.0; 28.6]) and insulin (14.5% [3.6; 26.5]). Nitrogen dioxide was associated with HOMA-IR, glucose, insulin, and leptin. Effect estimates for individuals with prediabetes were much larger and highly statistically significant, whereas individuals who did not have diabetes or had diabetes showed rather weak associations. No association was seen for HbA1clevel. Our results suggested an association between long-term exposure to air pollution and IR in the general population that was attributable mainly to individuals with prediabetes.
Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany kathrin.wolf@helmholtz-muenchen.de.
Kathrin
K
Wolf
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich, Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometrics and Epidemiology, Munich, Germany.
Anita
A
Popp
Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
Alexandra
A
Schneider
Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
Susanne
S
Breitner
Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
Regina
R
Hampel
Institute for Biometrics and Epidemiology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.|German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Rathmann
German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.|Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Christian
C
Herder
German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.|Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.|Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Michael
M
Roden
University of Ulm Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine II-Cardiology, Ulm, Germany.|Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Koenig
Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
Christa
C
Meisinger
Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.|German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.|DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany.
Annette
A
Peters
D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects
D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; D052638:Particulate Matter; D002097:C-Reactive Protein