Fine Particulate air Pollution is Associated with Higher Vulnerability to Atrial Fibrillation—The APACR Study

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Edward O. Bixler (Creator)

Wayne E. Cascio (Creator)

Fan He (Creator)

Duanping Liao (Creator)

Sol Rodriguez-Colon (Creator)

Michele L. Shaffer (Creator)

Eric A. Whitsel (Creator)

Rongling Wu (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: The acute effects and the time course of fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) on atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF) predictors, including P-wave duration, PR interval duration, and P-wave complexity, were investigated in a community-dwelling sample of 106 nonsmokers. Individual-level 24-h beat-to-beat electrocardiogram (ECG) data were visually examined. After identifying and removing artifacts and arrhythmic beats, the 30-min averages of the AF predictors were calculated. A personal PM2.5 monitor was used to measure individual-level, real-time PM2.5 exposures during the same 24-h period, and corresponding 30-min average PM2.5 concentration were calculated. Under a linear mixed-effects modeling framework, distributed lag models were used to estimate regression coefficients (ßs) associating PM2.5 with AF predictors. Most of the adverse effects on AF predictors occurred within 1.5–2 h after PM2.5 exposure. The multivariable adjusted ßs per 10-µg/m3 rise in PM2.5 at lag 1 and lag 2 were significantly associated with P-wave complexity. PM2.5 exposure was also significantly associated with prolonged PR duration at lag 3 and lag 4. Higher PM2.5 was found to be associated with increases in P-wave complexity and PR duration. Maximal effects were observed within 2 h. These findings suggest that PM2.5 adversely affects AF predictors; thus, PM2.5 may be indicative of greater susceptibility to AF.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part a; 74:11 p. 693-705

Language: English

Date: 2011

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