Association of heart rate variability of the elderly with personal exposure to PM1, PM1-2.5, and PM2.5-10

Environmental epidemiologic studies have shown that elderly people are susceptible to particulate air pollution. The decreases in heart rate variability are important indices of health effect caused by particulate matter. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of submicron particle (PM1), PM1-2.5, and coarse particle (PM2.5-10) on heart rate variability parameters in the elderly. Results of our study indicated that short-term and medium-term PM exposures were associated with the reduction of heart rate variability in the elderly, with stronger effects found for coarse particles in comparison with particles of other size ranges.