Patient awareness of the risks for heart disease posed by air pollution

Association between ambient fine particulate matter with blood pressure levels among Iranian individuals admitted for cardiac and respiratory diseases: Data from CAPACITY study

BACKGROUND

The relation between air pollution and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) risk factors, especially blood pressure (BP) levels, has been less frequently assessed. The aim of this study was evaluating the association between air pollutants of less than 2.5 µm [particulate matter (PM2.5)] and BP indices among individuals admitted with CVDs and pulmonary diseases.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was in context of air pollution associated with hospitalization and mortality of CVDs and respiratory diseases (CAPACITY) study. Data of 792 Iranian patients referring to two hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, for cardiovascular or respiratory problems from March 2011 to March 2012 were used for analysis. BP indices including systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were obtained from patients’ medical forms and mean PM2.5 concentrations during 24 hours prior to admission of each patient were obtained from Isfahan Department of Environment (DOE).

RESULTS

Mean ± standard deviation (SD) of participants’ age were 62.5 ± 15.9 years. All BP indices on admission were significantly higher in women compared with men. Adjustment of all potential confounders including age, sex, temperature, wind speed, and dew point revealed that increasing one quartile in PM2.5 concentrations had been associated with 1.98 mmHg raising in SBP at the time of admission [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.41-3.54, P = 0.010]. Women with cardiac diseases had higher all BP indices with increased PM2.5 concentration [SBP: β: 4.30, 95% CI = 0.90-7.70, P = 0.010; DBP: β: 1.89, 95% CI = 0.09-3.69, P = 0.040; MAP: β: 3.09, 95% CI = 0.68-5.51, P= 0.010, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that increasing PM2.5 concentration has been positively associated with raising SBP in total population and all BP indices among women with cardiac problems at admission time. Several comprehensive studies are required for confirming these relations.

Health risk of air pollution on people living with major chronic diseases: a Canadian population-based study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to use health administrative and environmental data to quantify the effects of ambient air pollution on health service use among those with chronic diseases. We hypothesised that health service use would be higher among those with more exposure to air pollution as measured by the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI).

SETTING

Health administrative data was used to quantify health service use at the primary (physician office visits) and secondary (emergency department visits, hospitalisations) level of care in Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

We included individuals who resided in Ontario, Canada, from 2003 to 2010, who were ever diagnosed with one of 11 major chronic diseases.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Rate ratios (RR) from Poisson regression models were used to estimate the short-term impact of incremental unit increases in AQHI, nitrogen dioxide (NO2; 10 ppb), fine particulate matter (PM2.5; 10 µg/m(3)) and ozone (O3; 10 ppb) on health services use among individuals with each disease. We adjusted for age, sex, day of the week, temperature, season, year, socioeconomic status and region of residence.

RESULTS

Increases in outpatient visits ranged from 1% to 5% for every unit increase in the 10-point AQHI scale, corresponding to an increase of about 15,000 outpatient visits on a day with poor versus good air quality. The greatest increases in outpatient visits were for individuals with non-lung cancers (AQHI:RR=1.05; NO2:RR=1.14; p<0.0001) and COPD (AQHI:RR=1.05; NO2:RR=1.12; p<0.0001) and in hospitalisations, for individuals with diabetes (AQHI:RR=1.04; NO2:RR=1.07; p<0.0001) and COPD (AQHI:RR=1.03; NO2:RR=1.09; p<1.001). The impact remained 2 days after peak AQHI levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Among individuals with chronic diseases, health service use increased with higher levels of exposure to air pollution, as measured by the AQHI. Future research would do well to measure the utility of targeted air quality advisories based on the AQHI to reduce associated health service use.

Activity change in response to bad air quality, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2010

Air pollution contributes to poor respiratory and cardiovascular health. Susceptible individuals may be advised to mitigate effects of air pollution through actions such as reducing outdoor physical activity on days with high pollution. Our analysis identifies the extent to which susceptible individuals changed activities due to bad air quality. This cross-sectional study included 10,898 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010. Participants reported if they did something differently when air quality was bad. Susceptible categories included respiratory conditions, cardiovascular conditions and older age (≥65 years). Analyses accounted for complex survey design; logistic regression models controlled for gender, race, education, smoking, and body mass index. 1305 individuals reported doing something differently (12.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 10.9, 13.1). This percentage was 14.2% (95% CI: 11.6, 16.8), 25.1% (95% CI: 21.7, 28.6), and 15.5% (95% CI: 12.2, 18.9) among older adults, those with a respiratory condition, and those with a cardiovascular condition, respectively. In adjusted regression models the following were significantly more likely to have changed activity compared to those who did not belong to any susceptible group: respiratory conditions (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.61, 95% CI: 2.03, 3.35); respiratory and cardiovascular conditions (aOR: 4.36, 95% CI: 2.47, 7.69); respiratory conditions and older age (aOR: 3.83; 95% CI: 2.47, 5.96); or all three groups (aOR: 3.52; 95% CI: (2.33, 5.32). Having cardiovascular conditions alone was not statistically significant. Some individuals, especially those with a respiratory condition, reported changing activities due to poor air quality. However, efforts should continue to educate the public about air quality and health.