Acute Changes in Vascular Function Among Welders Exposed to Metal-Rich Particulate Matter

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cavallari JM ; Christiani, David C. ; Eisen EA ; Fang SC ; Mittleman MA
• Description:
  BACKGROUND: Although welding fume exposure is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, the mechanisms remain unclear. To investigate the role of vascular function, we assessed levels of the augmentation index (a correlate of arterial stiffness) after short-term exposure to welding-derived fine particulate matter (PM2.5). METHODS: In a panel study, we monitored 26 male welders over 24 hours on a welding day (n = 25), a non-welding day (n = 15), or both (n = 14). Augmentation index (expressed as a percent) was obtained in the morning before exposure (baseline) and after exposure in the afternoon and the following morning. Personal PM2.5 exposure was measured over 6 hours of welding or an equivalent non-welding period. We used linear mixed models adjusting for baseline augmentation index, smoking, age, and time to evaluate the effects of welding (binary) and PM2.5 (continuous) on augmentation index levels. We also assessed modification by welding exposure the day before monitoring (binary). RESULTS: Welding was associated with a 2.8% increase in afternoon augmentation index (95% confidence interval = -1.4 to 7.0) and a 2.4% decrease (-6.9 to 2.2) in next-morning augmentation index. Additional exposure the day prior to monitoring was associated with a greater afternoon increase (5.1%; 0.8 to 9.5). Using PM2.5 concentration, a positive association was observed in the afternoon and an inverse association the next morning; results differed by previous day's welding status after excluding outliers. CONCLUSIONS: Subsequent to welding fume exposure, there is an increase in afternoon augmentation index and a decrease in next-morning augmentation index, with greater changes after consecutive days of exposure. These results suggest that exposure to the PM2.5 component of welding fume elicits acute adverse vascular responses. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Cardiovascular Diseases Cardiovascular System Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Welding
• Keywords:
  Cardiopulmonary-system-disorders Cardiovascular-system-disorders Cell-metabolism Cell-morphology Cellular-reactions Fumes Mathematical-models Physical-chemistry Physical-reactions Physiological-chemistry Physiological-disorders Physiological-effects Physiological-factors Physiological-function Physiological-measurements Physiological-response Physiopathology Statistical-analysis Welders Welders-lung

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• ISSN:
  1044-3983
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  217-225
• Volume:
  19
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20034140
• Citation:
  Epidemiology 2008 Mar; 19(2):217-225
• Contact Point Address:
  David C. Christiani, Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building I-Room 1402, Boston, MA 02115
• Email:
  dchris@hsph.harvard.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2008
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Epidemiology
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:fd15999768676875f9673616cdb0ff11fef1bf4ed9fa1904c765b63f05d11151b85de2238ffc84eb5d44b2f46d36a17cb0b127f50958a48119d33c172cb05286
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/189500/cdc_189500_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 452.77 KB ]