Exposure to air pollution near a steel plant is associated with reduced heart rate variability: a randomised crossover study

Environmental Health

Research

Scott Weichenthal¹  Renaud Vincent²  Errol M. Thomson²  Premkumari Kumarathasan³  Mamun Mahmud⁴  Robin H. Shutt⁴  Lisa Marie Kauri⁴  Ling Liu⁴  Sabit Cakmak⁴  Robert Dales⁴ 

[1] Air Health Sciences Division, Water and Air Quality Bureau, Health Canada, 269 Laurier Ave W, K1A 0 K9, Ottawa, ON, Canada;Hazard Identification Division, Environmental Health Science Research Bureau, Health Canada, 50 Colombine Driveway, K1A 0 K9, Ottawa, ON, Canada;Mechanistic Studies Division, Environmental Health Science Research Bureau, Health Canada, 50 Colombine Driveway, K1A 0 K9, Ottawa, ON, Canada;Population Studies Division, Environmental Health Science Research Bureaum Health Canada, 50 Colombine Driveway, K1A 0 K9, Ottawa, ON, Canada;

关键词: Air pollution;    Steel production;    Heart rate variability;    Industrial air pollution;    Environment;    Epidemiology;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12940-016-0206-0

 received in 2016-07-05, accepted in 2016-12-03,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEpidemiological studies have shown that as ambient air pollution (AP) increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality also increases. The mechanisms of this effect may be linked to alterations in autonomic nervous system function. We wished to examine the effects of industrial AP on heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of subtle changes in heart rate and rhythm representing autonomic input to the heart.MethodsSixty healthy adults were randomized to spend five consecutive 8-h days outdoors in one of two locations: (1) adjacent to a steel plant in the Bayview neighbourhood in Sault Ste Marie Ontario or (2) at a College campus, several kilometers from the plant. Following a 9–16 day washout period, participants spent five consecutive days at the other site. Ambient AP levels and ambulatory electrocardiogram recordings were collected daily. HRV analysis was undertaken on a segment of the ambulatory ECG recording during a 15 min rest period, near the end of the 8-h on-site day. Standard HRV parameters from both time and frequency domains were measured. Ambient AP was measured with fixed site monitors at both sites. Statistical analysis was completed using mixed-effects models.ResultsCompared to the College site, HRV was statistically significantly reduced at the Bayview site by 13% (95%CI 3.6,19.2) for the standard deviation of normal to normal, 8% (95%CI 0.1, 4.9) for the percent normal to normal intervals differing by more than 50 ms, and 15% (95%CI 74.9, 571.2) for low frequency power. Levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and fine and ultrafine particulates were slightly, but statistically significantly, elevated at Bayview when compared to College. Interquartile range changes in individual air pollutants were significantly associated with reductions in HRV measured on the same day. The patterns of effect showed a high degree of consistency, with nearly all pollutants significantly inversely associated with at least one measure of HRV.ConclusionsThe significant associations between AP and changes in HRV suggest that ambient AP near a steel plant may impact autonomic nervous system control of the heart.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. 2016