Grantee Research Project Results
2002 Progress Report: Cardiovascular Responses to Particulate Air Pollution
EPA Grant Number: R827994Title: Cardiovascular Responses to Particulate Air Pollution
Investigators: Liao, Duanping , Chinchilli, Vernon M. , Shy, Carl , Whitsel, Eric , Heiss, Gerardo , Xie, Sharon
Current Investigators: Liao, Duanping , Whitsel, Eric , Heiss, Gerardo , Lin, Hung-Mo , Duan, Yinkang
Institution: Pennsylvania State University
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: (Extended to April 30, 2004)
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 1, 2002 through January 1, 2003
Project Amount: $607,630
RFA: Airborne Particulate Matter Health Effects (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Particulate Matter , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air , Human Health
Objective:
The overall objectives of this research project are to: (1) abstract and create, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS), the average exposures to ambient criteria pollutants for the 15,792 individuals who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, as 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, and/or 6-day averages prior to their randomly scheduled cohort clinical examinations (baseline in 1987-1989 and 4th exam in 1996-1998); and (2) combine the air pollution data with the cardiovascular health data already collected by the ARIC investigators to study:
· The independent relationships between exposure to criteria pollutants and cardiac autonomic control assessed by heart rate variability, cardiovascular reactivity assessed by postural changes of blood pressure and heart rate, inflammatory/hemostatic markers, and the presence of arrhythmias assessed by 2-minute electrocardiography (ECG) rhythm strips
· The relationships between criteria pollutants and validated cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke.
Progress Summary:
In Year 3 of the project, we completed statistical analyses for the research hypotheses and research questions relevant to the effects of each criteria pollutant. We are preparing manuscripts that address the effects of individual criteria pollutants for submission to scientific journals. The analysis of criteria pollutants and blood pressure and its reactivity, and the analysis of criteria pollutants and QT intervals also is complete. We also completed the analysis of criteria pollutants and arrhythmias and clinical CHD, and the analysis of the interrelationship between PM10 and gaseous pollutants on cardiovascular health.
As listed in the abstracts and manuscripts section of this report, during Project Year 3 of this grant, we have demonstrated that criteria pollutants (PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3) are significantly associated with the following markers of cardiovascular disease vulnerability: (1) longer QT intervals, and (2) impaired blood pressure reactivity. As hypothesized, most of these associations are more pronounced among persons with a history of cardiovascular disease, indicating a more vulnerable subgroup of population. These results indicate that these systems may be involved in the pathways from air pollution to cardiovascular disease.
Future Activities:
During the final year of the grant, we will use the carry-over funds to support activities related to bringing this project to a successful closure. Our objectives for this no-cost extension year are to prepare publications and make presentations of the study results, complete additional analyses that are proposed by our co-authors and internal reviewers, and complete additional analyses that scientific journals and their reviewers often require before the manuscripts can be accepted for publication. Specifically, we will complete and submit to scientific journals the following five manuscripts within the extension period: (1) air pollution and heart rate variability; (2) air pollution and inflammation/blood coagulation; (3) air pollution and cardiac repolarization; (4) air pollution, blood pressure, and blood pressure reactivity; and (5) air pollution, clinical events, and arrhythmia.
A final report also will be prepared and submitted to EPA at the end of the no-cost extension period.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 14 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
population-based study, public health, air pollution, ambient air, particulate matter, ozone, heart disease, health effects, heart rate variability, inflammation, blood coagulation, epidemiology., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Health, Air, particulate matter, Environmental Chemistry, Health Risk Assessment, Epidemiology, Risk Assessments, Biochemistry, Atmospheric Sciences, Biology, ambient aerosol, copollutant exposures, particulates, air toxics, cardiopulmonary responses, human health effects, cardiovascular vulnerability, heart rate variability, air pollution, chronic health effects, particulate exposure, ethnicity, Acute health effects, blood pressure, PM, cardiotoxicity, myocardium infarction, cardiac arrhythmiasProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.