Association of Heart Rate Variability with Occupational and Environmental Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution

Details

• Personal Author:
  Christiani, David C. ; Hauser R ; Magari SR ; Schwartz J ; Smith, Thomas J. ; Williams PL
• Description:
  Background: Airborne particulate matter has been linked to excess morbidity and mortality. Recent attention has focused on the effects of particulate exposure on cardiac autonomic control. Inhaled particulates may affect the autonomic nervous system either directly, by eliciting a sympathetic stress response, or indirectly, through inflammatory cytokines produced in the lungs and released into the circulation. Methods and Results: This longitudinal study examined the association of particulates >=2.5 um in diameter (PM2.5) with heart rate variability (HRV) in an occupational cohort (N=40). Continuous monitoring of exposure and HR was performed during and away from work. PM2.5 levels were higher than ambient levels typically reported in Boston, 0.167 +/- 3.205 mg/m3 (geometric mean +/- geometric SD). We found a 2.66% decrease (95% CI, -3.75% to -1.58%) in the 5-minute SD of normal RR intervals (SDNN) for every 1 mg/m3 increase in the 4-hour moving PM2.5 average and a 1.02% increase (95% CI, 0.59% to 1.46%) in HR after adjusting for potential confounding factors. The decrease in SDNN became larger as the averaging interval increased. Conclusions: Workers experienced altered cardiac autonomic control after exposure to occupational and environmental PM2.5. There appears to be either a long-acting (several hours) and a short-acting (several minutes) component to the mechanism of action that may be related to the production of cytokines and the sympathetic stress response, respectively, or a cumulative effect that begins shortly after exposure begins. The clinical significance of these effects in a healthy working population is unclear. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution Cardiovascular System Environmental Exposure Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety
• Keywords:
  Airborne Particulates Air Pollution Author Keywords: Air Pollution Autonomic Nervous System Cardiac Function Cytokines Environmental Exposure Epidemiology Heart Rate Occupational Exposure Particulates

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• ISSN:
  0009-7322
• 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
• Volume:
  104
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20056715
• Citation:
  Circulation 2001 Aug; 104(9):986-991
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr David Christiani, Occupational Health Program, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Bldg 1 Room 1402, Boston, MA, 02115
• Email:
  dchris@hohp.harvard.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2001
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard University, Boston, MA
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19960930
• Source Full Name:
  Circulation
• End Date:
  20000929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:830872d0a5b40aa5499d13c8c983252cabe36f88847b50b383ae2cad402760be6030934e5dd5875768cfdf1da58b8f4d40d8db926b68926adb8ac04994616edd
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214267/cdc_214267_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 178.67 KB ]