Grantee Research Project Results

2000 Progress Report: Epidemiologic Study of Particulate Matter and Cardiopulmonary Mortality

EPA Grant Number: R827355C001
Subproject: this is subproject number 001 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827355
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions
Center Director: Robinson, Allen
Title: Epidemiologic Study of Particulate Matter and Cardiopulmonary Mortality
Investigators: Kaufman, Joel D. , Sheppard, Lianne (Elizabeth) A. , Koenig, Jane Q. , Siscovick, David , Checkoway, Harvey
Current Investigators: Kaufman, Joel D. , Sheppard, Lianne (Elizabeth) A. , Karr, Catharine J. , Schreuder, Astrid , Siscovick, David , Sullivan, Jeff , Shepherd, Kristine , Miller, Kristine , Ishikawa, Naomi
Institution: University of Washington
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: June 1, 1999 through May 31, 2004 (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 consists of two study designs addressing associations between ambient PM exposure and cardiorespiratory disease risks. The first design is a "case-crossover" study of roughly 1,100 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) cases in Seattle. This design compares PM levels in the days immediately preceding SCA events with levels at previous reference time points. The second study, starting in the fall of 2001, will examine the chronic effects of exposure to ambient particulate matter in a multicity cohort being observed for the occurrence of cardiovascular disease.

Progress Summary:

The second year of the project has been focused on completing the case-crossover analysis of sudden cardiac arrest in King County. Although our initial study of primary cardiac arrest using this methodology (Levy, 2001a; Levy, 2001b) involved 362 cases without any preexisting illness, this analysis uses a different and more heterogeneous sample of 1,206 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in the Seattle region. More than one-half of these cases had preexisting cardiovascular disease.

Jeffrey Sullivan, M.D., M.H.S., Senior Fellow, has taken a major role in conducting the analysis for this project. The tables that follow demonstrate the characteristics of the cases and the exposure information being used. The past year has involved preparation and cleaning of the case and exposure databases, and the case-crossover analysis is now ongoing. We anticipate completion of data analysis by early summer 2001. This likely will include incorporation of models with lags of 1- and 4-hours as recently reported by Peters and colleagues (Peters, 2001).

Table 1. 1,206 cases of SCA in King County and South Snohomish County 1985-95

Variable	Frequency (percent)
Age (median)	67.4
Female gender	347/1206 (28.8%)
Race (non-white)	117/1206 (9.7%)
Smoking (ever)	721/1151 (62.6%)
Current	286
Ex-smoker	435
Never	430
Complete data not available on all characteristics of all cases.

Table 2. Clinical characteristics of 1,206 cases of sudden cardiac death

Variable	Frequency (percent)
Heart disease	660
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) (within 1 year of CHF severity	355
Class I	274
Class II	48
Class III	33
Cardiomyopathy	140
Valvular Disease	85
Prior Myocardial Infarction	380
Angina (within 1 year of sudden death)	304
Hypertension	554
Arrhythmia	391
Atrial	164(afib) 47(flutter)
Ventricular Tachycardia History	43
Pacemaker	24
Prior Stroke	113
Hypercholesterolemia	53
Diabetes	235
Type I	224
Type II	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	232 (117 with PFTs)
Asthma	110
Healthy	?

Table 3. Occurrence of cases by year

Year	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative
1985	139	11.53	11.53
1986	141	11.69	23.22
1987	110	9.12	32.34
1988	115	9.54	41.87
1989	111	9.20	51.08
1990	121	10.03	61.11
1991	128	10.61	71.72
1992	95	7.88	79.60
1993	144	11.94	91.54
1994	102	8.46	100.00
Total	1,206	100.00

Table 4. Descriptive statistics for pollutants (nephelometer, PM10, SO2, CO, temperature)

Variable	Units	N	Min	10%	25%	50%	75%	90%	Max	Mean
Neph	10km^-1 bsp	5254	.05	.2257	.3127	.4790	.8497	1.5000	5.99	.7108
PM10	µg/m³	1776	7.38	13.78	17.97	24.83	35.13	45.60	89.83	28.05
SO2	ppm	5069	.00	.002500	.004872	.007609	.01042	.01364	.03	.00797
CO	ppm	5300	.52	1.0208	1.2983	1.7083	2.2771	3.0083	7.56	1.9024
Temp	F	5041	15.00	40.00	45.00	52.00	60.00	66.00	79.00	52.510

Future Activities:

Beginning in fall 2001, we will launch a new epidemiologic study of a multi-city cohort being observed for the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in a large number of cities with available PM monitoring data. We anticipate being able to study the effect of chronic exposure to ambient PM on incidence of cardiovascular disease in this cohort using a proportional hazards model approach.

Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other subproject views:	All 21 publications	14 publications in selected types	All 14 journal articles
Other center views:	All 209 publications	113 publications in selected types	All 109 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Sub Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Levy D, Sheppard L, Checkoway H, Kaufman J, Lumley T, Koenig J, Siscovick D. A case-crossover analysis of particulate matter air pollution and out-of-hospital primary cardiac arrest. Epidemiology 2001;12(2):193-199.	R827355 (2004) R827355 (Final) R827355C001 (2000) R827355C001 (2001)	Abstract from PubMed Full-text: LWW-Full Text HTML Exit Abstract: LWW-Abstract Exit Other: LWW-Full Text PDF Exit
Journal Article	Levy D, Lumley T, Sheppard L, Kaufman J, Checkoway H. Referent selection in case-crossover analyses of acute health effects of air pollution. Epidemiology 2001;12(2):186-192.	R827355 (2004) R827355 (Final) R827355C001 (2000) R827355C001 (2001) R825173 (1999) R825173 (2000)	Abstract from PubMed Full-text: Epidemiology-Full Text HTML Exit Abstract: Epidemiology-Abstract Exit Other: Epidemiology-Full Text PDF Exit
Journal Article	Lumley T, Sheppard L. Assessing seasonal confounding and model selection bias in air pollution epidemiology using positive and negative control analyses. Environmetrics 2000;11(6):705-717.	R827355 (2001) R827355 (Final) R827355C001 (2000) R827355C001 (2001) R827355C009 (Final) R825173 (1999)	Abstract: Wiley-Abstract Exit Other: University of Washington-Prepublication paper Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

ambient particles, fine particles, combustion, health, exposure, biostatistics, susceptibility., RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, Air, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, Geographic Area, Susceptibility/Sensitive Population/Genetic Susceptibility, Health Risk Assessment, Physical Processes, Risk Assessments, State, particulate matter, genetic susceptability, Environmental Chemistry, Incineration/Combustion, Epidemiology, Allergens/Asthma, Children's Health, indoor air, Northwest, Atmospheric Sciences, Biochemistry, Toxicology, air toxics, aerosols, health effects, Human Health Risk Assessment, health risks, incineration, environmental hazard exposures, California (CA), air quality, hazardous air pollutants, hydrocarbons, combustion contaminants, epidemeology, indoor air quality, sensitive populations, epidemelogy, biological markers, allergen, asthma, airway inflammation, harmful environmental agents, ambient aerosol, combustion emissions, indoor environment, atmospheric chemistry, risk assessment, mortality, biological response, human exposure, combustion, animal model, PAHs, morbidity, cardiopulmonary responses, children, particulates, ambient particle health effects, allergens, exposure, air pollutants, toxics, atmospheric aerosols, biostatistics, particle transport, children's vulnerablity, ambient air, airborne pollutants, air pollution, ambient air quality, cardiovascular disease, human health risk, assessment of exposure, human health effects, human susceptibility, acute cardiovascular effects, exposure assessment, exposure and effects, particle exposure, mortality studies, cardiopulmonary response, airway disease

Relevant Websites:

http://depts.washington.edu/pmcenter/ Exit EPA icon

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R827355 Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827355C001 Epidemiologic Study of Particulate Matter and Cardiopulmonary Mortality
R827355C002 Health Effects
R827355C003 Personal PM Exposure Assessment
R827355C004 Characterization of Fine Particulate Matter
R827355C005 Mechanisms of Toxicity of Particulate Matter Using Transgenic Mouse Strains
R827355C006 Toxicology Project -- Controlled Exposure Facility
R827355C007 Health Effects Research Core
R827355C008 Exposure Core
R827355C009 Statistics and Data Core
R827355C010 Biomarker Core
R827355C011 Oxidation Stress Makers

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