Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you have safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Environmental Topics
  • Laws & Regulations
  • Report a Violation
  • About EPA
Contact Us

Grantee Research Project Results

2000 Progress Report: Examining Conditions That Predispose Towards Acute Adverse Effects of Particulate Exposures

EPA Grant Number: R827353C004
Subproject: this is subproject number 004 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827353
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).

Center: Health Effects Institute (2015 - 2020)
Center Director: Greenbaum, Daniel S.
Title: Examining Conditions That Predispose Towards Acute Adverse Effects of Particulate Exposures
Investigators: Schwartz, Joel
Current Investigators: Schwartz, Joel , Zanobetti, Antonella , Wellenius, Gregory , O'Neill, M.
Institution: Harvard University
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: June 1, 1999 through May 31, 2005 (Extended to May 31, 2006)
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 1, 2000 through May 31, 2001
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Airborne Particulate Matter (PM) Centers (1999) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Particulate Matter , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air

Objective:

This project is one of four projects under Theme II: Identifying Populations Susceptible to the Health Effects of Particulate Air Pollution of our proposal. This project will test the hypothesis that patients with pre-existing respiratory, cardiovascular, or diabetic conditions have an enhanced mortality response to particle exposures. In addition, it will separately assess the effects of gaseous co-pollutants as alternative predictors of mortality and the degree to which they modify response to particulate matter (PM).

Progress Summary:

As part of this project we have reported that socioeconomic factors were not modifiers of the risk of PM associated mortality (Zanobetti and Schwartz, 2000) although there was some increased risk in females. The same pattern held true for hospital admissions for heart and lung disease (Zanobetti, Schwartz, and Dockery, 2000). In contrast we found (Zanobetti, Schwartz, and Gold, 2000) that respiratory illness modified the risk of cardiovascular hospital admissions associated with PM, and that heart failure modified the risk of PM-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) admissions. More recently, we have examined the association of diabetes as an effect modifier for cardiovascular admissions (Zanobetti and Schwartz, in review).

Mixed models represent an important tool for determining whether persons with certain characteristics are more susceptible to the effects of airborne particles. However, classic mixed regression programs are linear models, whereas we know that season and weather effects on health are often nonlinear. These have often been addressed using nonparametric smoothing. To further our ability to assess sensitivity while maintaining good covariate control, we have developed an additive mixed model, which combines the attributes of both approaches (Coull, et al., 2000).

Future Activities:

We will continue to examine the association of diabetes as an effect modifier for cardiovascular admissions, and we will present the results of these analyses at the ISEE meeting this fall. We intend to proceed to the next step, which will involve mortality follow-ups of subjects whose potentially predisposing conditions were identified using hospital admissions data. These analyses will use the case-crossover approach. The recently completed methodological paper (Bateson and Schwartz, in review) examining the potentials for bias and confounding in that approach, and identifying methods for dealing with those problems will form the basis for our analyses next year.


Journal Articles on this Report : 4 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other subproject views: All 34 publications 34 publications in selected types All 33 journal articles
Other center views: All 207 publications 205 publications in selected types All 204 journal articles
Publications
Type Citation Sub Project Document Sources
Journal Article Coull BA, Schwartz J, Wand MP. Respiratory health and air pollution:additive mixed model analyses. Biostatistics 2001;2(3):337-349. R827353 (Final)
R827353C004 (2000)
R827353C004 (2001)
R827353C004 (Final)
  • Abstract from PubMed
  • Full-text: Biostatistics-Full Text PDF
    Exit
  • Abstract: Biostatistics-Abstract
    Exit
  • Journal Article Zanobetti A, Schwartz J, Dockery DW. Airborne particles are a risk factor for hospital admissions for heart and lung disease. Environmental Health Perspectives 2000;108(11):1071-1077. R827353 (Final)
    R827353C004 (2000)
    R827353C004 (Final)
  • Full-text from PubMed
  • Abstract from PubMed
  • Associated PubMed link
  • Journal Article Zanobetti A, Schwartz J, Gold D. Are there sensitive subgroups for the health effects of airborne particles? Environmental Health Perspectives 2000;108(9):841-845. R827353 (Final)
    R827353C004 (2000)
    R827353C004 (Final)
  • Full-text from PubMed
  • Abstract from PubMed
  • Associated PubMed link
  • Journal Article Zanobetti A, Wand MP, Schwartz J, Ryan LM. Generalized additive distributed lag models:quantifying mortality displacement. Biostatistics 2000;1(3):279-292. R827353 (Final)
    R827353C004 (2000)
    R827353C004 (2002)
    R827353C004 (2003)
    R827353C004 (Final)
  • Abstract from PubMed
  • Full-text: Biostatistics-Full Text PDF
    Exit
  • Abstract: Biostatistics-Abstract
    Exit
  • Supplemental Keywords:

    particulate matter, PM2.5, PM10, air pollutants, particulates, health effects, exposure, ambient particles, susceptibility, metals, public policy, biology, engineering, epidemiology, toxicology, environmental chemistry, monitoring., RFA, Health, Air, Scientific Discipline, Geographic Area, Susceptibility/Sensitive Population/Genetic Susceptibility, Risk Assessments, State, particulate matter, Biology, genetic susceptability, Environmental Chemistry, Epidemiology, tropospheric ozone, Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Children's Health, Atmospheric Sciences, Toxicology, air toxics, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Monitoring, air quality, health effects, health risks, Human Health Risk Assessment, indoor air quality, inhaled, sensitive populations, human health, epidemelogy, epidemeology, respiratory disease, ambient monitoring, pulmonary disease, stratospheric ozone, biological mechanism , elderly, human exposure, indoor exposure, respiratory, risk assessment, ambient air monitoring, lung cancer, biological response, cardiopulmonary responses, dosimetry, lung, monitoring, pulmonary, susceptibility, genetic susceptibility, atmospheric monitoring, particulate exposure, chemical exposure, children, exposure, particulates, developmental effects, ambient particle health effects, air pollutants, ambient air, indoor air, inhaled particles, molecular epidemiology, Illinois (IL), environmental health hazard, inhalation toxicology, air pollution, ambient air quality, cardiopulmonary, cardiovascular disease, human health effects, human health risk, Connecticut (CT), assessment of exposure, human susceptibility, ambient measurement methods, cardiopulmonary response, inhalation, interindividual variability, Massachusetts (MA), Utah (UT), particle exposure

    Relevant Websites:

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/epacenter/homeframe.htm Exit EPA icon

    Progress and Final Reports:

    Original Abstract
  • 1999 Progress Report
  • 2001 Progress Report
  • 2002 Progress Report
  • 2003 Progress Report
  • 2004 Progress Report
  • Final Report

  • Main Center Abstract and Reports:

    R827353    Health Effects Institute (2015 - 2020)

    Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
    R827353C001 Assessing Human Exposures to Particulate and Gaseous Air Pollutants
    R827353C002 Quantifying Exposure Error and its Effect on Epidemiological Studies
    R827353C003 St. Louis Bus, Steubenville and Atlanta Studies
    R827353C004 Examining Conditions That Predispose Towards Acute Adverse Effects of Particulate Exposures
    R827353C005 Assessing Life-Shortening Associated with Exposure to Particulate Matter
    R827353C006 Investigating Chronic Effects of Exposure to Particulate Matter
    R827353C007 Determining the Effects of Particle Characteristics on Respiratory Health of Children
    R827353C008 Differentiating the Roles of Particle Size, Particle Composition, and Gaseous Co-Pollutants on Cardiac Ischemia
    R827353C009 Assessing Deposition of Ambient Particles in the Lung
    R827353C010 Relating Changes in Blood Viscosity, Other Clotting Parameters, Heart Rate, and Heart Rate Variability to Particulate and Criteria Gas Exposures
    R827353C011 Studies of Oxidant Mechanisms
    R827353C012 Modeling Relationships Between Mobile Source Particle Emissions and Population Exposures
    R827353C013 Toxicological Evaluation of Realistic Emissions of Source Aerosols (TERESA) Study
    R827353C014 Identifying the Physical and Chemical Properties of Particulate Matter Responsible for the Observed Adverse Health Effects
    R827353C015 Research Coordination Core
    R827353C016 Analytical and Facilities Core
    R827353C017 Technology Development and Transfer Core

    Top of Page

    The 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.

    Project Research Results

    • Final Report
    • 2004 Progress Report
    • 2003 Progress Report
    • 2002 Progress Report
    • 2001 Progress Report
    • 1999 Progress Report
    • Original Abstract
    34 publications for this subproject
    33 journal articles for this subproject
    Main Center: R827353
    207 publications for this center
    204 journal articles for this center

    Site Navigation

    • Grantee Research Project Results Home
    • Grantee Research Project Results Basic Search
    • Grantee Research Project Results Advanced Search
    • Grantee Research Project Results Fielded Search
    • Publication search
    • EPA Regional Search

    Related Information

    • Search Help
    • About our data collection
    • Research Grants
    • P3: Student Design Competition
    • Research Fellowships
    • Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
    Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
    Last updated April 28, 2023
    United States Environmental Protection Agency

    Discover.

    • Accessibility
    • Budget & Performance
    • Contracting
    • EPA www Web Snapshot
    • Grants
    • No FEAR Act Data
    • Plain Writing
    • Privacy
    • Privacy and Security Notice

    Connect.

    • Data.gov
    • Inspector General
    • Jobs
    • Newsroom
    • Open Government
    • Regulations.gov
    • Subscribe
    • USA.gov
    • White House

    Ask.

    • Contact EPA
    • EPA Disclaimers
    • Hotlines
    • FOIA Requests
    • Frequent Questions

    Follow.