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Title: Long-term exposure to air pollution and markers of inflammation, coagulation, and endothelial activation: a repeat-measures analysis in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Authors: Hajat, Anjum; Allison, Matthew; Diez-Roux, Ana V; Jenny, Nancy Swords; Jorgensen, Neal W; Szpiro, Adam A; Vedal, Sverre; Kaufman, Joel D

Published In Epidemiology, (2015 May)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Air pollution is associated with cardiovascular disease, and systemic inflammation may mediate this effect. We assessed associations between long- and short-term concentrations of air pollution and markers of inflammation, coagulation, and endothelial activation. METHODS: We studied participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis from 2000 to 2012 with repeat measures of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen, D-dimer, soluble E-selectin, and soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1. Annual average concentrations of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), individual-level ambient PM2.5 (integrating indoor concentrations and time-location data), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon were evaluated. Short-term concentrations of PM2.5 reflected the day of blood draw, day prior, and averages of prior 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-day periods. Random-effects models were used for long-term exposures and fixed effects for short-term exposures. The sample size was between 9,000 and 10,000 observations for CRP, IL-6, fibrinogen, and D-dimer; approximately 2,100 for E-selectin; and 3,300 for soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1. RESULTS: After controlling for confounders, 5 µg/m increase in long-term ambient PM2.5 was associated with 6% higher IL-6 (95% confidence interval = 2%, 9%), and 40 parts per billion increase in long-term NOx was associated with 7% (95% confidence interval = 2%, 13%) higher level of D-dimer. PM2.5 measured at day of blood draw was associated with CRP, fibrinogen, and E-selectin. There were no other positive associations between blood markers and short- or long-term air pollution. CONCLUSIONS: These data are consistent with the hypothesis that long-term exposure to air pollution is related to some markers of inflammation and fibrinolysis.

PubMed ID: 25710246 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Air Pollution/adverse effects*; Atherosclerosis/chemically induced*; Atherosclerosis/epidemiology; Blood Coagulation/drug effects*; C-Reactive Protein/analysis; E-Selectin/blood; Endothelium, Vascular/drug effects*; Female; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products/analysis; Fibrinogen/analysis; Humans; Inflammation/chemically induced*; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/blood; Interleukin-6/blood; Male; Middle Aged; Nitrogen Dioxide/adverse effects; Nitrogen Oxides; Particulate Matter/adverse effects; Racial Groups/statistics & numerical data; United States/epidemiology

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