Night Heart Rate Variability and Particulate Exposures Among Boilermaker Construction Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cavallari JM ; Chen JC ; Christiani, David C. ; Dobson CB ; Eisen EA ; Fang SC ; Schwartz J ; Cavallari JM ; Chen JC ; Christiani, David C. ; Dobson CB ; Eisen EA ; Fang SC ; Schwartz J
• Description:
  BACKGROUND: Although studies have documented the association between heart rate variability (HRV) and ambient particulate exposures, the association between HRV, especially at night, and metal-rich, occupational particulate exposures remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: Our goal in this study was to investigate the association between long-duration HRV, including nighttime HRV, and occupational PM(2.5) exposures. METHODS: We used 24-hr ambulatory electrocardiograms (ECGs) to monitor 36 male boilermaker welders (mean age of 41 years) over a workday and nonworkday. ECGs were analyzed for HRV in the time domain; rMSSD (square root of the mean squared differences of successive intervals), SDNN (SD of normal-to-normal intervals over entire recording), and SDNN(i) (SDNN for all 5-min segments) were summarized over 24-hr, day (0730-2130 hours), and night (0000-0700 hours) periods. PM(2.5) (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < / = 2.5 microm) exposures were monitored over the workday, and 8-hr time-weighted average concentrations were calculated. We used linear regression to assess the associations between HRV and workday particulate exposures. Matched measurements from a nonworkday were used to control for individual cardiac risk factors. RESULTS: Mean (+/- SD) PM(2.5) exposure was 0.73 +/- 0.50 mg/m(3) and ranged from 0.04 to 2.70 mg/m(3). We observed a consistent inverse exposure-response relationship, with a decrease in all HRV measures with increased PM(2.5) exposure. However, the decrease was most pronounced at night, where a 1-mg/m(3) increase in PM(2.5) was associated with a change of -8.32 [95% confidence interval (CI), -16.29 to -0.35] msec nighttime rMSSD, -14.77 (95% CI, -31.52 to 1.97) msec nighttime SDNN, and -8.37 (95% CI, -17.93 to 1.20) msec nighttime SDNN(i), after adjusting for nonworking nighttime HRV, age, and smoking. CONCLUSION: Metal-rich particulate exposures were associated with decreased long-duration HRV, especially at night. Further research is needed to elucidate which particulate metal constituent is responsible for decreased HRV. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aging Air Pollutants, Occupational Cardiovascular Diseases Cardiovascular System Dust Men Metals Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Welding

  More +
• Keywords:
  Aerobic-metabolism Age-groups Airborne-particles Cardiac-function Cardiography Cardiopulmonary-system Cardiopulmonary-system-disorders Heart Heart-rate Mathematical-models Metal-dusts Particle-aerodynamics Particulate-dust Particulate-sampling-methods Particulates Statistical-analysis Welders

  More +
• ISSN:
  0091-6765
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article ; Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Volume:
  115
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20032564
• Citation:
  Environ Health Perspect 2007 Jul; 115(7):1046-1051
• Contact Point Address:
  D.C. Christiani, Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., SPH1-1402, Boston, MA 02115
• Email:
  dchristi@hsph.harvard.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2007
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Health Perspectives
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c0aa9edb517d8f3895731c4db610c91f03d827ea4469a272342c5bbc92db5b2a96127ef1e2e776fea67889a1697a7dd64ee2fb3d6b4e645be8e81ee343752020
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/186490/cdc_186490_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 115.20 KB ]