Controlled exposures to air pollutants and risk of cardiac arrhythmia

Jeremy P Langrish; Simon J Watts; Amanda J Hunter; Anoop S V Shah; Jenny A Bosson; Jon Unosson; Stefan Barath; Magnus Lundbäck; Flemming R Cassee; Ken Donaldson; Thomas Sandström; Anders Blomberg; David E Newby; Nicholas L Mills

doi:10.1289/ehp.1307337

Controlled exposures to air pollutants and risk of cardiac arrhythmia

Jeremy P Langrish, Simon J Watts, Amanda J Hunter, Anoop S V Shah, Jenny A Bosson, Jon Unosson, Stefan Barath, Magnus Lundbäck, Flemming R Cassee, Ken Donaldson, Thomas Sandström, Anders Blomberg, David E Newby, Nicholas L Mills

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have reported associations between air pollution exposure and increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Exposure to air pollutants can influence cardiac autonomic tone and reduce heart rate variability, and may increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly in susceptible patient groups.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias during and after controlled exposure to air pollutants in healthy volunteers and patients with coronary heart disease.

METHODS: We analyzed data from 13 double-blind randomized crossover studies including 282 participants (140 healthy volunteers and 142 patients with stable coronary heart disease) from whom continuous electrocardiograms were available. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias was recorded for each exposure and study population.

RESULTS: There were no increases in any cardiac arrhythmia during or after exposure to dilute diesel exhaust, wood smoke, ozone, concentrated ambient particles, engineered carbon nanoparticles, or high ambient levels of air pollution in either healthy volunteers or patients with coronary heart disease.

CONCLUSIONS: Acute controlled exposure to air pollutants did not increase the short-term risk of arrhythmia in participants. Research employing these techniques remains crucial in identifying the important pathophysiological pathways involved in the adverse effects of air pollution, and is vital to inform environmental and public health policy decisions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	747-53
Number of pages	7
Journal	Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume	122
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307337
Publication status	Published - Jul 2014

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Langrish, J. P., Watts, S. J., Hunter, A. J., Shah, A. S. V., Bosson, J. A., Unosson, J., Barath, S., Lundbäck, M., Cassee, F. R., Donaldson, K., Sandström, T., Blomberg, A., Newby, D. E., & Mills, N. L. (2014). Controlled exposures to air pollutants and risk of cardiac arrhythmia. Environmental Health Perspectives, 122(7), 747-53. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307337

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title = "Controlled exposures to air pollutants and risk of cardiac arrhythmia",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have reported associations between air pollution exposure and increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Exposure to air pollutants can influence cardiac autonomic tone and reduce heart rate variability, and may increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly in susceptible patient groups.OBJECTIVES: We investigated the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias during and after controlled exposure to air pollutants in healthy volunteers and patients with coronary heart disease.METHODS: We analyzed data from 13 double-blind randomized crossover studies including 282 participants (140 healthy volunteers and 142 patients with stable coronary heart disease) from whom continuous electrocardiograms were available. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias was recorded for each exposure and study population.RESULTS: There were no increases in any cardiac arrhythmia during or after exposure to dilute diesel exhaust, wood smoke, ozone, concentrated ambient particles, engineered carbon nanoparticles, or high ambient levels of air pollution in either healthy volunteers or patients with coronary heart disease.CONCLUSIONS: Acute controlled exposure to air pollutants did not increase the short-term risk of arrhythmia in participants. Research employing these techniques remains crucial in identifying the important pathophysiological pathways involved in the adverse effects of air pollution, and is vital to inform environmental and public health policy decisions.",

author = "Langrish, {Jeremy P} and Watts, {Simon J} and Hunter, {Amanda J} and Shah, {Anoop S V} and Bosson, {Jenny A} and Jon Unosson and Stefan Barath and Magnus Lundb{\"a}ck and Cassee, {Flemming R} and Ken Donaldson and Thomas Sandstr{\"o}m and Anders Blomberg and Newby, {David E} and Mills, {Nicholas L}",

year = "2014",

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doi = "10.1289/ehp.1307337",

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volume = "122",

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T1 - Controlled exposures to air pollutants and risk of cardiac arrhythmia

AU - Langrish, Jeremy P

AU - Watts, Simon J

AU - Hunter, Amanda J

AU - Shah, Anoop S V

AU - Bosson, Jenny A

AU - Unosson, Jon

AU - Barath, Stefan

AU - Lundbäck, Magnus

AU - Cassee, Flemming R

AU - Donaldson, Ken

AU - Sandström, Thomas

AU - Blomberg, Anders

AU - Newby, David E

AU - Mills, Nicholas L

PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have reported associations between air pollution exposure and increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Exposure to air pollutants can influence cardiac autonomic tone and reduce heart rate variability, and may increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly in susceptible patient groups.OBJECTIVES: We investigated the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias during and after controlled exposure to air pollutants in healthy volunteers and patients with coronary heart disease.METHODS: We analyzed data from 13 double-blind randomized crossover studies including 282 participants (140 healthy volunteers and 142 patients with stable coronary heart disease) from whom continuous electrocardiograms were available. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias was recorded for each exposure and study population.RESULTS: There were no increases in any cardiac arrhythmia during or after exposure to dilute diesel exhaust, wood smoke, ozone, concentrated ambient particles, engineered carbon nanoparticles, or high ambient levels of air pollution in either healthy volunteers or patients with coronary heart disease.CONCLUSIONS: Acute controlled exposure to air pollutants did not increase the short-term risk of arrhythmia in participants. Research employing these techniques remains crucial in identifying the important pathophysiological pathways involved in the adverse effects of air pollution, and is vital to inform environmental and public health policy decisions.

AB - BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have reported associations between air pollution exposure and increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Exposure to air pollutants can influence cardiac autonomic tone and reduce heart rate variability, and may increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly in susceptible patient groups.OBJECTIVES: We investigated the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias during and after controlled exposure to air pollutants in healthy volunteers and patients with coronary heart disease.METHODS: We analyzed data from 13 double-blind randomized crossover studies including 282 participants (140 healthy volunteers and 142 patients with stable coronary heart disease) from whom continuous electrocardiograms were available. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias was recorded for each exposure and study population.RESULTS: There were no increases in any cardiac arrhythmia during or after exposure to dilute diesel exhaust, wood smoke, ozone, concentrated ambient particles, engineered carbon nanoparticles, or high ambient levels of air pollution in either healthy volunteers or patients with coronary heart disease.CONCLUSIONS: Acute controlled exposure to air pollutants did not increase the short-term risk of arrhythmia in participants. Research employing these techniques remains crucial in identifying the important pathophysiological pathways involved in the adverse effects of air pollution, and is vital to inform environmental and public health policy decisions.

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DO - 10.1289/ehp.1307337

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SN - 0091-6765

VL - 122

SP - 747

EP - 753

JO - Environmental Health Perspectives

JF - Environmental Health Perspectives

IS - 7

ER -

Controlled exposures to air pollutants and risk of cardiac arrhythmia

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