Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document
Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: Effect of inhaled carbon ultrafine particles on reactive hyperemia in healthy human subjects.

Authors: Shah, Alpa P; Pietropaoli, Anthony P; Frasier, Lauren M; Speers, Donna M; Chalupa, David C; Delehanty, Joseph M; Huang, Li-Shan; Utell, Mark J; Frampton, Mark W

Published In Environ Health Perspect, (2008 Mar)

Abstract: Ultrafine particles (UFP) may contribute to the cardiovascular effects of exposure to particulate air pollution, partly because of their relatively efficient alveolar deposition and potential to enter the pulmonary vascular space.This study tested the hypothesis that inhalation of elemental carbon UFP alters systemic vascular function.Sixteen healthy subjects (mean age, 26.9 +/- 6.5 years) inhaled air or 50 microg/m3 elemental carbon UFP by mouthpiece for 2 hr, while exercising intermittently. Measurements at preexposure baseline, 0 hr (immediately after exposure), 3.5 hr, 21 hr, and 45 hr included vital signs, venous occlusion plethysmography and reactive hyperemia of the forearm, and venous plasma nitrate and nitrite levels.Peak forearm blood flow after ischemia increased 3.5 hr after exposure to air but not UFP (change from preexposure baseline, air: 9.31 +/- 3.41; UFP: 1.09 +/- 2.55 mL/min/100 mL; t-test, p = 0.03). Blood pressure did not change, so minimal resistance after ischemia (mean blood pressure divided by forearm blood flow) decreased with air, but not UFP [change from preexposure baseline, air: -0.48 +/- 0.21; UFP: 0.07 +/- 0.19 mmHg/mL/min; analysis of variance (ANOVA), p = 0.024]. There was no UFP effect on pre-ischemia forearm blood flow or resistance, or on total forearm blood flow after ischemia. Venous nitrate levels were significantly lower after exposure to carbon UFP compared with air (ANOVA, p = 0.038). There were no differences in venous nitrite levels.Inhalation of 50 microg/m3 carbon UFP during intermittent exercise impairs peak forearm blood flow during reactive hyperemia in healthy human subjects.

PubMed ID: 18335106 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication

Back
to Top