Acute daily exposure to ambient air pollution impairs endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses in young, healthy individuals

J Physiol Pharmacol. 2023 Aug;74(4). doi: 10.26402/jpp.2023.4.03. Epub 2023 Oct 16.

Abstract

Exposure to ambient air pollution influences cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. The differential effects of changing particulate or gaseous air pollution on endothelial function in young healthy individuals remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between exposures to different pollutants and vascular function in a group of 39 young (33±11 years old) subjects with low CV risk. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated dilatation (NMD) were performed, when air pollution reached highest levels (heating period) and repeated in a subgroup of 18 participants a few months later (just before the heating period starts). Daily mean concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were inversely correlated with FMD, and this relationship remained significant after adjusting for factors known to affect vascular dysfunction. Endothelial function did not differ between the two time points studied. However, we observed a strong inverse association between the change in the concentration of particulate matter (deltaPM2.5 and deltaPM10) and the change in FMD (deltaFMD) between the two visits (R= -0.65, p= 0.02; R= -0.64, p= 0.02, respectively). In summary, we provide evidence that the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10, but not SO2, NO, NO2, CO, or O3 is associated with impaired endothelial function in young, healthy individuals.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Air Pollutants* / adverse effects
  • Air Pollutants* / analysis
  • Air Pollution* / adverse effects
  • Air Pollution* / analysis
  • Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors
  • Humans
  • Particulate Matter / adverse effects
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors
  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Particulate Matter