| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
1 Heartlands Research Institute, Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green East, Birmingham, UK. 2 Division of Environmental Health & Risk Management, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
CORRESPONDENCE: J.G. Ayres, Heartlands Research Institute, Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green East, B9 5SS, Birmingham, UK. Fax: 44 1217724259
Keywords: air pollution, health effects, heart rate variability, mechanisms, sulphur dioxide
Received: March 10, 2000
Accepted December 18, 2000
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is an important air pollutant and causes bronchoconstriction in normal and asthmatic adults. This paper has explored the autonomic consequences of SO2 exposure using the spectral analysis of heart rate variability.
Electrocardiogram recordings were made in 12 normal and 12 asthmatic adults undergoing pollutant exposures. Exposures were of a 1 h duration, double blind, in random order,
SO2 exposure was associated with an increase in total power (TP) and high (HF) and low frequency (LF) power in the normal subjects, and a reduction in these indices in the subjects with asthma. The difference in TP with SO2 exposure compared to air was +1730 ms2 in the normal group and –1021 ms2 asthmatic group (p<0.003). For HF the respective values were +964 ms2 and –539 ms2 (p=0.02) and for LF, +43 7 ms2 and –57 2 ms2 (p=0.01). No change in lung function or symptoms was observed in either group.
This suggests that SO2 exposure at concentrations which are frequently encountered during air pollution episodes can influence the autonomic nervous system. This may be important in understanding the mechanisms involved in SO2 induced bronchoconstriction, and of the cardiovascular effects of air pollution.
2 weeks apart and included air and 200 parts per billion SO2. Spectral analysis of R-R intervals was performed.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D Q Rich, M H Kim, J R Turner, M A Mittleman, J Schwartz, P J Catalano, and D W Dockery Association of ventricular arrhythmias detected by implantable cardioverter defibrillator and ambient air pollutants in the St Louis, Missouri metropolitan area Occup. Environ. Med., September 1, 2006; 63(9): 591 - 596. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H C Routledge, S Manney, R M Harrison, J G Ayres, and J N Townend Effect of inhaled sulphur dioxide and carbon particles on heart rate variability and markers of inflammation and coagulation in human subjects Heart, February 1, 2006; 92(2): 220 - 227. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. Issever, R. Disci, B. Hapcioglu, S. Vatansever, M. A. Karan, V. Akkaya, and O. Erk The Effect of Air Pollution and Meteorological Parameters in Istanbul on Hospital Admissions for Acute Coronary Syndrome Indoor and Built Environment, April 1, 2005; 14(2): 157 - 164. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H C Routledge, J G Ayres, and J N Townend Why cardiologists should be interested in air pollution Heart, December 1, 2003; 89(12): 1383 - 1388. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 I. Galan, A. Tobias, J.R. Banegas, and E. Aranguez Short-term effects of air pollution on daily asthma emergency room admissions Eur. Respir. J., November 1, 2003; 22(5): 802 - 808. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W S Tunnicliffe, R M Harrison, F J Kelly, C Dunster, and J G Ayres The effect of sulphurous air pollutant exposures on symptoms, lung function, exhaled nitric oxide, and nasal epithelial lining fluid antioxidant concentrations in normal and asthmatic adults Occup. Environ. Med., November 1, 2003; 60(11): e15 - 15. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Sunyer, F. Ballester, A. L. Tertre, R. Atkinson, J. G Ayres, F. Forastiere, B. Forsberg, J. M Vonk, L. Bisanti, J. M Tenias, et al. The association of daily sulfur dioxide air pollution levels with hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases in Europe (The Aphea-II study) Eur. Heart J., April 2, 2003; 24(8): 752 - 760. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J G Ayres and P L A Gabbott Vocal cord dysfunction and laryngeal hyperresponsiveness: a function of altered autonomic balance? Thorax, April 1, 2002; 57(4): 284 - 285. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W.S. Tunnicliffe, D.E. Evans, D. Mark, R.M. Harrison, and J.G. Ayres The effect of exposure to sulphuric acid on the early asthmatic response to inhaled grass pollen allergen Eur. Respir. J., October 1, 2001; 18(4): 640 - 646. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
