Clinical Research
Atherosclerosis
Urban Particulate Matter Air Pollution Is Associated With Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Results From the HNR (Heinz Nixdorf Recall) Study

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Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of long-term residential exposure to fine particles with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).

Background

Experimental and epidemiological evidence suggest that long-term exposure to air pollution might have a causal role in atherogenesis, but epidemiological findings are still inconsistent. We investigate whether urban particulate matter (PM) air pollution is associated with CIMT, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Methods

We used baseline data (2000 to 2003) from the HNR (Heinz Nixdorf Recall) study, a population-based cohort of 4,814 participants, 45 to 75 years of age. We assessed residential long-term exposure to PM with a chemistry transport model and measured distance to high traffic. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate associations of air pollutants and traffic with CIMT, adjusting for each other, city of residence, age, sex, diabetes, and lifestyle variables.

Results

Median CIMT of the 3,380 analyzed participants was 0.66 mm (interquartile range 0.16 mm). An interdecile range increase in PM2.5(4.2 μg/m3), PM10(6.7 μg/m3), and distance to high traffic (1,939 m) was associated with a 4.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9% to 6.7%), 1.7% (95% CI: −0.7% to 4.1%), and 1.2% (95% CI: −0.2% to 2.6%) increase in CIMT, respectively.

Conclusions

Our study shows a clear association of long-term exposure to PM2.5with atherosclerosis. This finding strengthens the hypothesized role of PM2.5as a risk factor for atherogenesis.

Key Words

air pollution
epidemiology
intima-media thickness
particulate matter
risk factors
subclinical atherosclerosis
traffic

Abbreviations and Acronyms

CIMT
carotid intima-media thickness
PM
particulate matter

Cited by (0)

This study was funded by the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation(Chairman: Dr. G. Schmidt) and the German Ministry of Education and Science. An additional research grant was received from Imatron, Inc., South San Francisco, California, which produced the electron beam computed tomography scanners, and GE-Imatron, South San Francisco, California, after the acquisition of Imatron, Inc. Assessment of psychosocial factors and neighborhood level information is funded by the German Research Council(DFG; Project SI236/10-1 and SI236/9-1) and by the VW Foundation. The authors acknowledge the support of the Sarstedt AG and Company concerning laboratory equipment. The authors have reported that they have no relationships to disclose.