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Hesterberg TW, Bunn WB, McClellan RO, Hamade AK, Long CM, Valberg PA. Critical review of the human data on short-term nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposures: evidence for NO2 no-effect levels. Crit Rev Toxicol 2010; 39:743-81. [PMID: 19852560 DOI: 10.3109/10408440903294945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a ubiquitous atmospheric pollutant due to the widespread prevalence of both natural and anthropogenic sources, and it can be a respiratory irritant when inhaled at elevated concentrations. Evidence for health effects of ambient NO2 derives from three types of studies: observational epidemiology, human clinical exposures, and animal toxicology. Our review focuses on the human clinical studies of adverse health effects of short-term NO2 exposures, given the substantial uncertainties and limitations in interpretation of the other lines of evidence. We examined more than 50 experimental studies of humans inhaling NO2, finding notably that the reporting of statistically significant changes in lung function and bronchial sensitivity did not show a consistent trend with increasing NO2 concentrations. Functional changes were generally mild and transient, the reported effects were not uniformly adverse, and they were not usually accompanied by NO2-dependent increases in symptoms. The available human clinical results do not establish a mechanistic pathway leading to adverse health impacts for short-term NO2 exposures at levels typical of maximum 1-h concentrations in the present-day ambient environment (i.e., below 0.2 ppm). Our review of these data indicates that a health-protective, short-term NO2 guideline level for susceptible (and healthy) populations would reflect a policy choice between 0.2 and 0.6 ppm. EXTENDED ABSTRACT: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a ubiquitous atmospheric pollutant due to the widespread prevalence of both natural and anthropogenic sources, and it can be a respiratory irritant when inhaled at elevated concentrations. Natural NO2 sources include volcanic action, forest fires, lightning, and the stratosphere; man-made NO2 emissions derive from fossil fuel combustion and incineration. The current National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for NO2, initially established in 1971, is 0.053 ppm (annual average). Ambient concentrations monitored in urban areas in the United States are approximately 0.015 ppm, as an annual mean, i.e., below the current NAAQS. Short-term (1-h peak) NO2 concentrations outdoors are not likely to exceed 0.2 ppm, and even 1-h periods exceeding 0.1 ppm are infrequent. Inside homes, 1-h NO2 peaks, typically arising from gas cooking, can range between 0.4 and 1.5 ppm. The health effects evidence of relevance to ambient NO2 derives from three lines of investigation: epidemiology studies, human clinical studies, and animal toxicology studies. The NO2 epidemiology remains inconsistent and uncertain due to the potential for exposure misclassification, residual confounding, and co-pollutant effects, whereas animal toxicology findings using high levels of NO2 exposure require extrapolation to humans exposed at low ambient NO2 levels. Given the limitations and uncertainties in the other lines of health effects evidence, our review thus focused on clinical studies where human volunteers (including asthmatics, children, and elderly) inhaled NO2 at levels from 0.1 to 3.5 ppm during short-term ((1/2)-6-h) exposures, often combined with exercise, and occasionally combined with co-pollutants. We examined the reported biological effects and classified them into (a) lung immune responses and inflammation, (b) lung function changes and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and (c) health effects outside the lungs (extrapulmonary). We examined more than 50 experimental studies of humans inhaling NO2, finding that such clinical data on short-term exposure allowed discrimination of NO2 no-effect levels versus lowest-adverse-effects levels. Our conclusions are summarized by these six points: For lung immune responses and inflammation: (1) healthy subjects exposed to NO2 below 1 ppm do not show pulmonary inflammation; (2) at 2 ppm for 4 h, neutrophils and cytokines in lung-lavage fluid can increase, but these changes do not necessarily correlate with significant or sustained changes in lung function; (3) there is no consistent evidence that NO2 concentrations below 2 ppm increase susceptibility to viral infection; (4) for asthmatics and individuals having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), NO2-induced lung inflammation is not expected below 0.6 ppm, although one research group reported enhancement of proinflammatory processes at 0.26 ppm. With regard to NO2-induced AHR: (5) studies of responses to specific or nonspecific airway challenges (e.g., ragweed, methacholine) suggest that asthmatic individuals were not affected by NO2 up to about 0.6 ppm, although some sensitive subsets may respond to levels as low as 0.2 ppm. And finally, for extra-pulmonary effects: (6) such effects (e.g., changes in blood chemistry) generally required NO2 concentrations above 1-2 ppm. Overall, our review of data from experiments with humans indicates that a health-protective, short-term-average NO2 guideline level for susceptible populations (and healthy populations) would reflect a policy choice between 0.2 and 0.6 ppm. The available human clinical results do not establish a mechanistic pathway leading to adverse health impacts for short-term NO2 exposures at levels typical of maximum 1-h concentrations in the present-day ambient environment (i.e., below 0.2 ppm).
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Davoodi G, Sharif AY, Kazemisaeid A, Sadeghian S, Farahani AV, Sheikhvatan M, Pashang M. Comparison of heart rate variability and cardiac arrhythmias in polluted and clean air episodes in healthy individuals. Environ Health Prev Med 2010; 15:217-21. [PMID: 21432548 DOI: 10.1007/s12199-009-0130-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2009] [Accepted: 12/18/2009] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pathophysiological mechanisms and pathways linking cardiovascular mortality and morbidity with air pollution were recently hypothesized. The present study evaluated association between air pollution and changes in heart rate variability as a marker of cardiac autonomic function in healthy individuals, and also determined the frequency of cardiac arrhythmias and QT interval changes on polluted compared to unpolluted days. METHODS Continuous Holter electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring was conducted on 21 young healthy individuals in the two episodes of clean air and elevated air pollution in Tehran. All subjects underwent a medical history review, a physical examination and echocardiography in order to rule out structural heart diseases. Measured pollutants and parameters included NO(2), CO(2), O(3), SO(2), and PM10, which all showed significantly higher concentrations on polluted days. Holter parameters were measured for 24-h time segments and compared. RESULTS Maximum heart rate was significantly lower in polluted air conditions in comparison with clean air conditions (115.1 ± 32.2 vs. 128.9 ± 17.7), and the square root of the mean of squared differences between adjacent NN intervals (r-MSSD) was higher in polluted air compared to clean air (99.0 ± 58.2 vs. 58.5 ± 26.4). Also, the occurrence of nonsustained supraventricular tachycardia was reported in 42.9% of participants in air pollution episodes, whereas this arrhythmia was not seen in clear air conditions (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION Changes in air pollution indices may lead to the occurrence of nonsustained supraventricular tachycardia, a slight reduction in maximum heart rate, and an increase in r-MSSD in healthy individuals. Air quality monitoring in cities associated with a high exposure to air pollutants is recommended in order to prevent such events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholamreza Davoodi
- Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, North Kargar Street, Tehran, 1411713138, Iran.
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Linares C, Díaz J. Short-term effect of concentrations of fine particulate matter on hospital admissions due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes among the over-75 age group in Madrid, Spain. Public Health 2010; 124:28-36. [PMID: 20060145 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2009.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2009] [Revised: 10/14/2009] [Accepted: 11/16/2009] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study sought to analyse the effect of daily mean concentrations of fine particulate matter (diameter <2.5 microm; PM(2.5)) on hospital admissions due to circulatory and respiratory causes among an elderly population (>75 years) in Madrid between 2003 and 2005. STUDY DESIGN Ecological longitudinal time-series study. METHODS The dependent variable used was the daily number of emergency hospital admissions registered at the Gregorio Marañón University Teaching Hospital. The following causes were analysed: all causes [International Classification of Diseases 9th Version (ICD-9:1-799)], respiratory causes (ICD-9: 460-519) and circulatory causes (ICD-9: 390-459). Analysis focused on subjects over 75 years of age. Daily records of mean concentrations of PM(2.5), PM(10), NO(2), NO(x), SO(2) and O(3) in Madrid were used as independent variables. The control variables were seasonalities, trend, influenza epidemics, noise and pollen concentrations. Poisson regression models were constructed to calculate the relative risk (RR) and attributable risk (AR). Analyses were performed for the entire year and for the winter and summer. RESULTS PM(2.5) was the single primary pollutant that proved statistically significant in all models. The functional relationship with hospital admissions was linear and had no threshold. Taking the year as a whole, the RRs among people over 75 years of age for an increase of 10 microg/m(3) in PM(2.5) concentrations were: 1.038 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.022-1.053] for all causes at lag 0; 1.062 (95% CI 1.036-1.089) for circulatory causes at lag 0; and 1.049 (95% CI 1.019-1.078) for respiratory causes at lag 3. The ARs were 3.6%, 5.9% and 4.6%, respectively. These risks increased in winter and no statistically significant associations were observed in summer. PM(2.5) was the only primary pollutant that showed a statistically significant association with hospital admissions among people over 75 years of age in Madrid across the study period. CONCLUSION Measures should be implemented to reduce PM(2.5) concentrations in Madrid.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Linares
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, National Centre for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
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Shoenfelt J, Mitkus RJ, Zeisler R, Spatz RO, Powell J, Fenton MJ, Squibb KA, Medvedev AE. Involvement of TLR2 and TLR4 in inflammatory immune responses induced by fine and coarse ambient air particulate matter. J Leukoc Biol 2009; 86:303-12. [PMID: 19406832 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.1008587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Induction of proinflammatory mediators by alveolar macrophages exposed to ambient air particulate matter has been suggested to be a key factor in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and allergic diseases in the lungs. However, receptors and mechanisms underlying these responses have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we examined whether TLR2, TLR4, and the key adaptor protein, MyD88, mediate the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines by mouse peritoneal macrophages exposed to fine and coarse PM. TLR2 deficiency blunted macrophage TNF-alpha and IL-6 expression in response to fine (PM2.5), while not affecting cytokine-inducing ability of coarse NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM 1648) particles. In contrast, TLR4(-/-) macrophages showed inhibited cytokine expression upon stimulation with NIST SRM 1648 but exhibited normal responses to PM2.5. Preincubation with polymyxin B markedly suppressed the capacity of NIST SRM 1648 to elicit TNF-alpha and IL-6, indicating endotoxin as a principal inducer of cytokine responses. Overexpression of TLR2 in TLR2/4-deficient human embryonic kidney 293 cells imparted PM2.5 sensitivity, as judged by IL-8 gene expression, whereas NIST SRM 1648, but not PM2.5 elicited IL-8 expression in 293/TLR4/MD-2 transfectants. Engagement of TLR4 by NIST SRM 1648 induced MyD88-independent expression of the chemokine RANTES, while TLR2-reactive NIST IRM PM2.5 failed to up-regulate this response. Consistent with the shared use of MyD88 by TLR2 and TLR4, cytokine responses of MyD88(-/-) macrophages to both types of air PM were significantly reduced. These data indicate differential utilization of TLR2 and TLR4 but shared use of MyD88 by fine and coarse air pollution particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Shoenfelt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
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Watterson TL, Hamilton B, Martin R, Coulombe RA. Urban particulate matter causes ER stress and the unfolded protein response in human lung cells. Toxicol Sci 2009; 112:111-22. [PMID: 19675143 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfp186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Because of its presumed adverse health effects, particulate air pollution (PM) has received growing attention, but the cellular mechanisms by which PM exerts toxicity are not well elucidated. PM has been associated with early mortality from illnesses that share endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as a mechanism of pathogenesis. In this study, we examined whether PM would induce the unfolded protein response (UPR) which is a cellular response to ER stress. Coarse (PM(10)) and fine (PM(2.5)) PM was collected from a single location in Northern Utah's Cache Valley during atmospheric inversions occurring in January 2002 and January 2003. Extracts of PM samples were added (12.5 and 25 microg/ml) to cultured human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells for 24 h. At these concentrations neither PM nor LPS exhibited demonstrable cytotoxicity by the neutral red assay. However, PM elicited significant increases of unfolded protein response (UPR)-related post-translational modifications, such as S6 ribosomal protein, heat-shock protein (Hsp)27, and protein kinase related protein phosphorylation and cleavage of activating transcription factor (ATF)-6. PM exposure also resulted in significant increases in the UPR-associated proteins ATF-4, Hsp70, Hsp90, and binding immunoglobulin protein. PM also interfered with the export of Hsp70 from the cells in a concentration-dependent manner and resulted in release of C-reactive protein. Calpain was upregulated and activated in PM-treated cultures, though these events were not proapoptotic. This study demonstrates that PM is capable of inducing ER stress and the UPR in vitro and may be a mechanism by which PM exerts toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd L Watterson
- Graduate Program in Toxicology, and Department of Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-4620
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Sarnat JA, Brown KW, Bartell SM, Sarnat SE, Wheeler AJ, Suh HH, Koutrakis P. The relationship between averaged sulfate exposures and concentrations: results from exposure assessment panel studies in four U.S. cities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2009; 43:5028-5034. [PMID: 19673302 DOI: 10.1021/es900419n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This analysis examines differences between measured ambient indoor, and personal sulfate concentrations across cities, seasons, and individuals to elucidate how these differences may impact PM2.5 exposure measurement error. Data were analyzed from four panel studies conducted in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, and Steubenville (OH). Among the study locations, 1912 person-days of personal sulfate data were collected over 396 days involving 245 individual sampling sessions. Long-term differences in ambient and personal levels averaged over time are examined. Differences between averaged ambient and personal sulfate among and within cities were observed, driven by between subject and city differences in sulfate infiltration, F(inf), from outdoors to indoors. Neglecting this source of variability in associations may introduce bias in studies examining long-term exposures and chronic health. Indoor sulfate was highly correlated with and similar in magnitude to personal sulfate, suggesting indoor PM monitoring may be another means of characterizing true exposure variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy A Sarnat
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Levy JI, Baxter LK, Schwartz J. Uncertainty and variability in health-related damages from coal-fired power plants in the United States. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2009; 29:1000-1014. [PMID: 19392676 DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2009.01227.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The health-related damages associated with emissions from coal-fired power plants can vary greatly across facilities as a function of plant, site, and population characteristics, but the degree of variability and the contributing factors have not been formally evaluated. In this study, we modeled the monetized damages associated with 407 coal-fired power plants in the United States, focusing on premature mortality from fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)). We applied a reduced-form chemistry-transport model accounting for primary PM(2.5) emissions and the influence of sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) and nitrogen oxide (NO(x)) emissions on secondary particulate formation. Outputs were linked with a concentration-response function for PM(2.5)-related mortality that incorporated nonlinearities and model uncertainty. We valued mortality with a value of statistical life approach, characterizing and propagating uncertainties in all model elements. At the median of the plant-specific uncertainty distributions, damages across plants ranged from $30,000 to $500,000 per ton of PM(2.5), $6,000 to $50,000 per ton of SO(2), $500 to $15,000 per ton of NO(x), and $0.02 to $1.57 per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated. Variability in damages per ton of emissions was almost entirely explained by population exposure per unit emissions (intake fraction), which itself was related to atmospheric conditions and the population size at various distances from the power plant. Variability in damages per kilowatt-hour was highly correlated with SO(2) emissions, related to fuel and control technology characteristics, but was also correlated with atmospheric conditions and population size at various distances. Our findings emphasize that control strategies that consider variability in damages across facilities would yield more efficient outcomes.
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Srebot V, Gianicolo EAL, Rainaldi G, Trivella MG, Sicari R. Ozone and cardiovascular injury. Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2009; 7:30. [PMID: 19552797 PMCID: PMC2706799 DOI: 10.1186/1476-7120-7-30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2009] [Accepted: 06/24/2009] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Air pollution is increasingly recognized as an important and modifiable determinant of cardiovascular diseases in urban communities. The potential detrimental effects are both acute and chronic having a strong impact on morbidity and mortality. The acute exposure to pollutants has been linked to adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, heart failure and life-threatening arrhythmias. The long-terms effects are related to the lifetime risk of death from cardiac causes. The WHO estimates that air pollution is responsible for 3 million premature deaths each year. The evidence supporting these data is very strong nonetheless, epidemiologic and observational data have the main limitation of imprecise measurements. Moreover, the lack of clinical experimental models makes it difficult to demonstrate the individual risk. The other limitation is related to the lack of a clear mechanism explaining the effects of pollution on cardiovascular mortality. In the present review we will explore the epidemiological, clinical and experimental evidence of the effects of ozone on cardiovascular diseases. The pathophysiologic consequences of air pollutant exposures have been extensively investigated in pulmonary systems, and it is clear that some of the major components of air pollution (e.g. ozone and particulate matter) can initiate and exacerbate lung disease in humans [1]. It is possible that pulmonary oxidant stress mediated by particulate matter and/or ozone (O3) exposure can result in downstream perturbations in the cardiovasculature, as the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems are intricately associated, and it is well documented that specific environmental toxins (such as tobacco smoke [2]) introduced through the lungs can initiate and/or accelerate cardiovascular disease development. Indeed, several epidemiologic studies have proved that there is an association between PM and O3 and the increased incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality [3]. Most of the evidence comes from studies of ambient particles concentrations. However, in Europe and elsewhere, the air pollution profile has gradually changed toward a more pronounced photochemical component. Ozone is one of the most toxic components of the photochemical air pollution mixture. Indeed, the biological basis for these observations has not been elucidated. In the present review, the role of ozone as chemical molecule will be firstly considered. Secondly, pathogenetic mechanisms connecting the atmospheric ozone level and cardiovascular pathology will be examined. Thirdly, the literature relating hospitalization frequency, morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular causes and ozone concentration will be studied. The correlation between ozone level and occurrence of acute myocardial infarction will be eventually discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Srebot
- CNR, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy.
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Peng RD, Bell ML, Geyh AS, McDermott A, Zeger SL, Samet JM, Dominici F. Emergency admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and the chemical composition of fine particle air pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2009; 117:957-63. [PMID: 19590690 PMCID: PMC2702413 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 327] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2008] [Accepted: 02/10/2009] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population-based studies have estimated health risks of short-term exposure to fine particles using mass of PM(2.5) (particulate matter <or= 2.5 microm in aerodynamic diameter) as the indicator. Evidence regarding the toxicity of the chemical components of the PM(2.5) mixture is limited. OBJECTIVE In this study we investigated the association between hospital admission for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and respiratory disease and the chemical components of PM(2.5) in the United States. METHODS We used a national database comprising daily data for 2000-2006 on emergency hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes, ambient levels of major PM(2.5) chemical components [sulfate, nitrate, silicon, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon matter (OCM), and sodium and ammonium ions], and weather. Using Bayesian hierarchical statistical models, we estimated the associations between daily levels of PM(2.5) components and risk of hospital admissions in 119 U.S. urban communities for 12 million Medicare enrollees (>or= 65 years of age). RESULTS In multiple-pollutant models that adjust for the levels of other pollutants, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in EC was associated with a 0.80% [95% posterior interval (PI), 0.34-1.27%] increase in risk of same-day cardiovascular admissions, and an IQR increase in OCM was associated with a 1.01% (95% PI, 0.04-1.98%) increase in risk of respiratory admissions on the same day. Other components were not associated with cardiovascular or respiratory hospital admissions in multiple-pollutant models. CONCLUSIONS Ambient levels of EC and OCM, which are generated primarily from vehicle emissions, diesel, and wood burning, were associated with the largest risks of emergency hospitalization across the major chemical constituents of PM(2.5).
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger D Peng
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
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Folino AF, Scapellato ML, Canova C, Maestrelli P, Bertorelli G, Simonato L, Iliceto S, Lotti M. Individual exposure to particulate matter and the short-term arrhythmic and autonomic profiles in patients with myocardial infarction. Eur Heart J 2009; 30:1614-20. [PMID: 19411666 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehp136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Epidemiological studies show that peak exposure to air pollution is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular events. Panel and controlled exposure studies show that particulate matter (PM) may influence the parasympathetic regulation of the heart. The aim of this study was to concurrently measure individual exposure to PM of various sizes, heart rate variability (HRV), and electrical instability in patients with myocardial infarction. METHODS AND RESULTS Personal exposures to PM(10), PM(2.5), and PM(0.25) was measured over 24 h in 39 patients (36 males, 3 females; mean age 60.3 years) with prior myocardial infarction (>6 months). Simultaneously, a 24 h ECG was recorded and then analysed for HRV and ventricular arrhythmias. Breath condensate and blood samples also were collected at the end of monitoring to measure several indexes of inflammation. Negative correlation was found between HRV and exposure to PM(0.25) in a group of patients not taking beta-blockers. More severe ventricular arrhythmias were observed at the highest concentrations of PM(10) and PM(2.5). Indexes of inflammation in either breath condensate or blood did not correlate with PM exposures. CONCLUSION Our study shows that exposure to ultrafine particles is associated with autonomic dysregulation in selected patients with myocardial infarction. More severe arrhythmias occur at the highest exposures to larger particles. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms remain hypothetical because inflammation may be evoked by PM or be related to the disease itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio F Folino
- Department of Cardiology, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani, 2, Padova 35128, Italy.
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Farraj AK, Haykal-Coates N, Winsett DW, Hazari MS, Carll AP, Rowan WH, Ledbetter AD, Cascio WE, Costa DL. Increased non-conducted P-wave arrhythmias after a single oil fly ash inhalation exposure in hypertensive rats. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2009; 117:709-15. [PMID: 19479011 PMCID: PMC2685831 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2008] [Accepted: 12/31/2008] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to combustion-derived fine particulate matter (PM) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality especially in individuals with cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. PM inhalation causes several adverse changes in cardiac function that are reflected in the electrocardiogram (ECG), including altered cardiac rhythm, myocardial ischemia, and reduced heart rate variability (HRV). The sensitivity and reliability of ECG-derived parameters as indicators of the cardiovascular toxicity of PM in rats are unclear. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats are more susceptible to the development of PM-induced arrhythmia, altered ECG morphology, and reduced HRV than are Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, a related strain with normal blood pressure. METHODS We exposed rats once by nose-only inhalation for 4 hr to residual oil fly ash (ROFA), an emission source particle rich in transition metals, or to air and then sacrificed them 1 or 48 hr later. RESULTS ROFA-exposed SH rats developed non-conducted P-wave arrhythmias but no changes in ECG morphology or HRV. We found no ECG effects in ROFA-exposed WKY rats. ROFA-exposed SH rats also had greater pulmonary injury, neutrophil infiltration, and serum C-reactive protein than did ROFA-exposed WKY rats. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that cardiac arrhythmias may be an early sensitive indicator of the propensity for PM inhalation to modify cardiovascular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimen K Farraj
- Experimental Toxicology Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA.
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Bente M, Sklorz M, Streibel T, Zimmermann R. Thermal Desorption−Multiphoton Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry of Individual Aerosol Particles: A Simplified Approach for Online Single-Particle Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Derivatives. Anal Chem 2009; 81:2525-36. [DOI: 10.1021/ac802296f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Bente
- Institut für Ökologische Chemie, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany, Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie/Massenspektrometrie-Zentrum, Institut für Chemie, Universität Rostock, 18051 Rostock, Germany, and Bayerisches Institut für Angewandte Umweltforschung and -technik GmbH (BIfA), Kompetenzbereich Prozesstechnik und Chemische Analytik, 86167 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Martin Sklorz
- Institut für Ökologische Chemie, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany, Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie/Massenspektrometrie-Zentrum, Institut für Chemie, Universität Rostock, 18051 Rostock, Germany, and Bayerisches Institut für Angewandte Umweltforschung and -technik GmbH (BIfA), Kompetenzbereich Prozesstechnik und Chemische Analytik, 86167 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Streibel
- Institut für Ökologische Chemie, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany, Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie/Massenspektrometrie-Zentrum, Institut für Chemie, Universität Rostock, 18051 Rostock, Germany, and Bayerisches Institut für Angewandte Umweltforschung and -technik GmbH (BIfA), Kompetenzbereich Prozesstechnik und Chemische Analytik, 86167 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Zimmermann
- Institut für Ökologische Chemie, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany, Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie/Massenspektrometrie-Zentrum, Institut für Chemie, Universität Rostock, 18051 Rostock, Germany, and Bayerisches Institut für Angewandte Umweltforschung and -technik GmbH (BIfA), Kompetenzbereich Prozesstechnik und Chemische Analytik, 86167 Augsburg, Germany
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McKone TE, Ryan PB, Ozkaynak H. Exposure information in environmental health research: current opportunities and future directions for particulate matter, ozone, and toxic air pollutants. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2009; 19:30-44. [PMID: 18385670 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2008.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2007] [Accepted: 01/04/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and quantifying outdoor and indoor sources of human exposure are essential but often not adequately addressed in health effect studies for air pollution. Air pollution epidemiology, risk assessment, health tracking, and accountability assessments are examples of health effect studies that require but often lack adequate exposure information. Recent advances in exposure modeling along with better information on time-activity and exposure factor data provide us with unique opportunities to improve the assignment of exposures for both future and ongoing studies linking air pollution to health impacts. In September 2006, scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with scientists from the academic community and state health departments convened a symposium on air pollution exposure and health to identify, evaluate, and improve current approaches for linking air pollution exposures to disease. This manuscript presents the key issues, challenges, and recommendations identified by the exposure working group, who used case studies of particulate matter, ozone, and toxic air-pollutant exposure to evaluate health effects for air pollution. One of the overarching lessons of this workshop is that obtaining better exposure information for these different health effect studies requires both goal setting for what is needed and mapping out the transition pathway from current capabilities for meeting these goals. Meeting our long-term goals requires definition of incremental steps that provide useful information for the interim and move us toward our long-term goals. Another overarching theme among the three different pollutants and the different health study approaches is the need for integration among alternate exposure-assessment approaches. For example, different groups may advocate exposure indicators, biomonitoring, mapping methods (GIS), modeling, environmental media monitoring, and/or personal exposure modeling. However, emerging research reveals that the greatest progress comes from integration among two or more of these efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E McKone
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 95720, USA.
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Liao D, Whitsel EA, Duan Y, Lin HM, Quibrera PM, Smith R, Peuquet DJ, Prineas RJ, Zhang ZM, Anderson G. Ambient particulate air pollution and ectopy--the environmental epidemiology of arrhythmogenesis in Women's Health Initiative Study, 1999-2004. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2009; 72:30-8. [PMID: 18979352 PMCID: PMC2586923 DOI: 10.1080/15287390802445483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The relationships between ambient PM(2.5) and PM(10) and arrhythmia and the effect modification by cigarette smoking were investigated. Data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality monitors and an established national-scale, log-normal kriging method were used to spatially estimate daily mean concentrations of PM at addresses of 57,422 individuals from 59 examination sites in 24 U.S. states in 1999-2004. The acute and subacute exposures were estimated as mean, geocoded address-specific PM concentrations on the day of, 0-2 d before, and averaged over 30 d before the electrocardiogram (ECG) (Lag(0); Lag(1); Lag(2); Lag(1-30)). At the time of standard 12-lead resting ECG, the mean age (SD) of participants was 67.5 (6.9) yr (84% non-Hispanic White; 6% current smoker; 15% with coronary heart disease; 5% with ectopy). After the identification of significant effect modifiers, two-stage random-effects models were used to calculate center-pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (OR, 95% CI) of arrhythmia per 10 mug/m(3) increase in PM concentrations. Among current smokers, Lag(0) and Lag(1) PM concentrations were significantly associated ventricular ectopy (VE)-the OR (95% CI) for VE among current smokers was 2 (1.32-3.3) and 1.32 (1.07-1.65) at Lag(1) PM(2.5) and PM(10), respectively. The interactions between current smoking and acute exposures (Lag(0); Lag(1); Lag(2)) were significant in relationship to VE. Acute exposures were not significantly associated with supraventricular ectopy (SVE), or with VE among nonsmokers. Subacute (Lag(1-30)) exposures were not significantly associated with arrhythmia. Acute PM(2.5) and PM(10) exposure is directly associated with the odds of VE among smokers, suggesting that they are more vulnerable to the arrhythmogenic effects of PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duanping Liao
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, USA.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Daily increases in ambient ozone have been associated with increased mortality. However, little is known about which subpopulations are more susceptible to death related to ozone. METHODS We conducted a case-only study in 48 US cities to identify subpopulations particularly vulnerable to ozone air pollution. Mortality and ozone data were obtained for the period 1989-2000 (May through September of each year) for 2,729,640 decedents. For each potential effect modifier, we fitted city-specific logistic regression models and pooled the results across all cities. Additionally, we examined differences in susceptibility factors according to several city characteristics using a meta-regression. RESULTS For each 10 ppb increase in ozone (average of lags 0 to 2), people aged > or =65 years had a 1.10% (95% confidence interval = 0.44% to 1.77%) additional increase in mortality (compared with younger ages). Other groups that were particularly susceptible were black people (additional 0.53% [0.19% to 0.87%]), women (additional 0.58% [0.18% to 0.98%]), and those with atrial fibrillation (additional 1.66% [0.03% to 3.32%]). Susceptibility factors had a larger effect in cities with lower ozone levels. For instance, the additional increase in ozone-related mortality for the elderly was 1.48% (0.81% to 2.15%) in a city with a mean ozone level of 42 ppb versus 0.45% (-0.27% to 1.19%) in a city with a level of 51 ppb. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed the susceptibility of the elderly to die of ambient ozone and identified other vulnerable subpopulations including women, blacks, and those with atrial fibrillation. Differences in vulnerability were particularly marked in cities with lower ozone concentrations.
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O'Toole TE, Conklin DJ, Bhatnagar A. Environmental risk factors for heart disease. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2008; 23:167-202. [PMID: 19119685 DOI: 10.1515/reveh.2008.23.3.167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we discuss current evidence linking environmental pollutants to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Extensive evidence indicates that environmental factors contribute to CVD risk, incidence, and severity. Migrant studies show that changes in the environment could substantially alter CVD risk in a genetically stable population. Additionally, CVD risk is affected by changes in nutritional and lifestyle choices. Recent studies in the field of environmental cardiology suggest that environmental toxins also influence CVD. Exposure to tobacco smoke is paradigmatic of such environmental risk and is strongly and positively associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In animal models of exposure, tobacco smoke induces endothelial dysfunction and prothrombotic responses and exacerbates atherogenesis and myocardial ischemic injury. Similar mechanism may be engaged by other pollutants or food constituents. Several large population-based studies indicate that exposure to fine or ultrafine particulate air pollution increases CVD morbidity and mortality, and the plausibility of this association is supported by data from animal studies. Exposure to other chemicals such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and metals has also been reported to elevate CVD risk by affecting atherogenesis, thrombosis, or blood pressure regulation. Maternal exposure to drugs, toxins, and infection has been linked with cardiac birth defects and premature CVD in later life. Collectively, the data support the notion that chronic environmental stress is an important determinant of CVD risk. Further work is required to assess the magnitude of this risk fully and to delineate specific mechanisms by which environmental toxins affect CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy E O'Toole
- Institute of Molecular Cardiology, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, United States of America
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Peretz A, Kaufman JD, Trenga CA, Allen J, Carlsten C, Aulet MR, Adar SD, Sullivan JH. Effects of diesel exhaust inhalation on heart rate variability in human volunteers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2008; 107:178-84. [PMID: 18329013 PMCID: PMC2518070 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2008.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2007] [Revised: 11/27/2007] [Accepted: 01/16/2008] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Particulate matter (PM) air pollution is associated with alterations in cardiac conductance and sudden cardiac death in epidemiological studies. Traffic-related air pollutants, including diesel exhaust (DE) may be at least partly responsible for these effects. In this experimental study we assessed whether short-term exposure to DE would result in alterations in heart rate variability (HRV), a non-invasive measure of autonomic control of the heart. METHODS In a double-blind, crossover, controlled-exposure study, 16 adult volunteers were exposed (at rest) in randomized order to filtered air (FA) and two levels of diluted DE (100 or 200 microg/m(3) of fine particulate matter) in 2-h sessions. Before, and at four time points after each exposure we assessed HRV. HRV parameters assessed included both time domain statistics (standard deviation of N-N intervals (SDNN), and the square root of the mean of the sum of squared differences between successive N-N intervals (RMSSD)) and frequency domain statistics (high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and the LF/HF ratio). RESULTS We observed an effect at 3-h after initiation of DE inhalation on the frequency domain statistics of HRV. DE at 200 microg/m(3) elicited an increase in HF power compared to FA (Delta=0.33; 95% CI: 0.01-0.7) and a decrease in LF/HF ratio (Delta=-0.74; 95% CI: -1.2 to -0.2). The effect of DE on HF power was not consistent among study participants. There was no DE effect on time domain statistics and no significant DE effect on HRV in later time points. CONCLUSIONS We did not observe a consistent DE effect on the autonomic control of the heart in a controlled-exposure experiment in young participants. Efforts are warranted to understand discrepancies between epidemiological and experimental studies of air pollution's impact on HRV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Peretz
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Carol A. Trenga
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jason Allen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Chris Carlsten
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mary R. Aulet
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sara D. Adar
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jeffrey H. Sullivan
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Mortality from heart, respiratory, and kidney disease in coal mining areas of Appalachia. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2008; 82:243-9. [PMID: 18461350 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-008-0328-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2007] [Accepted: 04/28/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to test whether population mortality rates from heart, respiratory and kidney disease were higher as a function of levels of Appalachian coal mining after control for other disease risk factors. METHODS The study investigated county-level, age-adjusted mortality rates for the years 2000-2004 for heart, respiratory and kidney disease in relation to tons of coal mined. Four groups of counties were compared: Appalachian counties with more than 4 million tons of coal mined from 2000 to 2004; Appalachian counties with mining at less than 4 million tons, non-Appalachian counties with coal mining, and other non-coal mining counties across the nation. Forms of chronic illness were contrasted with acute illness. Poisson regression models were analyzed separately for male and female mortality rates. Covariates included percent male population, college and high school education rates, poverty rates, race/ethnicity rates, primary care physician supply, rural-urban status, smoking rates and a Southern regional variable. RESULTS For both males and females, mortality rates in Appalachian counties with the highest level of coal mining were significantly higher relative to non-mining areas for chronic heart, respiratory and kidney disease, but were not higher for acute forms of illness. Higher rates of acute heart and respiratory mortality were found for non-Appalachian coal mining counties. CONCLUSIONS Higher chronic heart, respiratory and kidney disease mortality in coal mining areas may partially reflect environmental exposure to particulate matter or toxic agents present in coal and released in its mining and processing. Differences between Appalachian and non-Appalachian areas may reflect different mining practices, population demographics, or mortality coding variability.
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Franklin M, Schwartz J. The impact of secondary particles on the association between ambient ozone and mortality. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2008; 116:453-8. [PMID: 18414626 PMCID: PMC2290974 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2007] [Accepted: 01/10/2008] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several previous studies have found a positive association between ambient ozone and mortality, the observed effect may be confounded by other secondary pollutants that are produced concurrently with ozone. OBJECTIVES We addressed the question of whether the ozone-mortality relationship is entirely a reflection of the adverse effect of ozone, or whether it is, at least in part, an effect of other secondary pollutants. METHODS Separate time-series models were fit to 3-6 years of data between 2000 and 2005 from 18 U.S. communities. The association between nonaccidental mortality was examined with ozone alone and with ozone after adjustment for fine particle mass, sulfate, organic carbon, or nitrate concentrations. The effect estimates from each of these models were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis to obtain an across-community average. RESULTS We found a 0.89% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.45-1.33%] increase in nonaccidental mortality with a 10-ppb increase in same-day 24-hr summertime ozone across the 18 communities. After adjustment for PM(2.5) (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <or= 2.5 microm) mass or nitrate, this estimate decreased slightly; but when adjusted for particle sulfate, the estimate was substantially reduced to 0.58% (95% CI, -0.33 to 1.49%). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the association between ozone and mortality is confounded by particle sulfate, suggesting that some secondary particle pollutants could be responsible for part of the observed ozone effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith Franklin
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Landmark Center West, Room 412-E, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Hendryx M, Ahern MM. Relations between health indicators and residential proximity to coal mining in West Virginia. Am J Public Health 2008; 98:669-71. [PMID: 18309131 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2007.113472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
We used data from a survey of 16493 West Virginians merged with county-level coal production and other covariates to investigate the relations between health indicators and residential proximity to coal mining. Results of hierarchical analyses indicated that high levels of coal production were associated with worse adjusted health status and with higher rates of cardiopulmonary disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, lung disease, and kidney disease. Research is recommended to ascertain the mechanisms, magnitude, and consequences of a community coal-mining exposure effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hendryx
- Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, One Medical Center Dr, PO Box 9190, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
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Hendryx M, Ahern MM, Nurkiewicz TR. Hospitalization patterns associated with Appalachian coal mining. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2007; 70:2064-2070. [PMID: 18049995 DOI: 10.1080/15287390701601236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this study was to test whether the volume of coal mining was related to population hospitalization risk for diseases postulated to be sensitive or insensitive to coal mining by-products. The study was a retrospective analysis of 2001 adult hospitalization data (n = 93,952) for West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, merged with county-level coal production figures. Hospitalization data were obtained from the Health Care Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample. Diagnoses postulated to be sensitive to coal mining by-product exposure were contrasted with diagnoses postulated to be insensitive to exposure. Data were analyzed using hierarchical nonlinear models, controlling for patient age, gender, insurance, comorbidities, hospital teaching status, county poverty, and county social capital. Controlling for covariates, the volume of coal mining was significantly related to hospitalization risk for two conditions postulated to be sensitive to exposure: hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The odds for a COPD hospitalization increased 1% for each 1462 tons of coal, and the odds for a hypertension hospitalization increased 1% for each 1873 tons of coal. Other conditions were not related to mining volume. Exposure to particulates or other pollutants generated by coal mining activities may be linked to increased risk of COPD and hypertension hospitalizations. Limitations in the data likely result in an underestimate of associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hendryx
- Department of Community Medicine and Institute for Health Policy Research, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA.
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Sarnat JA, Wilson WE, Strand M, Brook J, Wyzga R, Lumley T. Panel discussion review: session 1--exposure assessment and related errors in air pollution epidemiologic studies. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2007; 17 Suppl 2:S75-S82. [PMID: 18079768 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jes.7500621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2007] [Accepted: 09/12/2007] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Examining the validity of exposure metrics used in air pollution epidemiologic models has been a key focus of recent exposure assessment studies. The objective of this work has been, largely, to determine what a given exposure metric represents and to quantify and reduce any potential errors resulting from using these metrics in lieu of true exposure measurements. The current manuscript summarizes the presentations of the co-authors from a recent EPA workshop, held in December 2006, dealing with the role and contributions of exposure assessment in addressing these issues. Results are presented from US and Canadian exposure and pollutant measurement studies as well as theoretical simulations to investigate what both particulate and gaseous pollutant concentrations represent and the potential errors resulting from their use in air pollution epidemiologic studies. Quantifying the association between ambient pollutant concentrations and corresponding personal exposures has led to the concept of defining attenuation factors, or alpha. Specifically, characterizing pollutant-specific estimates for alpha was shown to be useful in developing regression calibration methods involving PM epidemiologic risk estimates. For some gaseous pollutants such as NO2 and SO2, the associations between ambient concentrations and personal exposures were shown to be complex and still poorly understood. Results from recent panel studies suggest that ambient NO2 measurements may, in some locations, be serving as surrogates to traffic pollutants, including traffic-related PM2.5, hopanes, steranes, and oxidized nitrogen compounds (rather than NO2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy A Sarnat
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
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