The role of short-term air pollution and temperature on arterial stiffness in a longitudinal closed cohort of elderly individuals

Background/Aims: Our study adds to the sparse literature that examines whether arterial stiffness, related to cardiovascular risk, increases with exposure to air pollution. We assessed the associations between spatiotem-porally resolved air pollutants and vascular and hemodynamic parameters in an elderly population-based in Eastern Massachusetts.Methods: Among 397 men living in Eastern Massachusetts between 2007 and 2013, we utilized time-varying linear mixed-effects regressions to examine associations between central augmentation index (%) and central pulse pressure (mmHg) and short-term (0-7 days) exposure to air pollution concentrations (fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3)), and temperature adjusted for known cardiovascular risk factors. Central augmentation index (AIx) and pulse pressure (AP) were measured at each visit using radial artery applanation tonometry for pulse wave analysis. Each air pollutant and temperature were geocoded to the par-ticipant's residential address using validated ensemble and hybrid exposure models and gridMET predictions.Results: We found consistent results that higher short-term PM2.5 concentrations (0-7 day moving averages) were associated with significantly higher measures of arterial stiffness. Each 4.52 mu g/m3 interquartile range (IQR) increase in daily PM2.5 for a 3-day moving average was associated with a 0.63% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.11, 1.15) increase in AIx and a 1.65 mmHg (95% CI: 0.42, 2.88) increase in pulse pressure. Furthermore, each 3.83 mu g/m3 IQR increase in daily PM2.5 for a 7-day moving average was associated with a 0.57% (95% CI:-0.01, 1.14) increase in AIx and a 1.91 mmHg (95% CI: 0.54, 3.28) increase in pulse pressure. Smaller increases in AIx and AP were observed for the other short-term moving averages of PM2.5 exposure apart from days zero and five for AIx. We found no clear association between O3, NO2, temperature, and the outcomes.Conclusions: Short-term PM2.5 exposure was associated with markers of arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics.

Automated summary

Our study found an association between short-term PM2.5 exposure and markers of arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics.