Fine particulate air pollution increases ventricular arrhythmias in adolescents – study report

Fine particulate air pollution increases ventricular arrhythmias in adolescents – study report

Fine particles with aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5) exposure has been associated with a risk of mortality and cardiac arrhythmias in adults [1]. Now a study has shown that PM_2.5 is associated with acute increased number of ventricular arrhythmias in a population based sample of otherwise healthy adolescents [2].

The study analyzed data from 322 adolescents who participated in the Penn State Child Cohort follow‐up examination. PM_2.5 exposure was measured using a nephelometer. A nephelometer or aerosol photometer is an instrument used for measuring the concentration of suspended particulates in fluids including air. Along with this 24 hour Holter monitoring was done to evaluate cardiac arrhythmia which included atrial and ventricular premature complexes.

PM_2.5 exposure was associated with an acute increase in the number of premature ventricular complexes. A 10 μg/m³ increment in PM_2.5 was associated with a 5%  increase in premature ventricular complexes within 2 hours after exposure. PM_2.5 concentration was not associated with premature atrial complexes. It may be noted that PM_2.5 concentrations were below the 24-hour standard with a 98th percentile form and a level of 35 μg/m³ given by US Environmental Protection Agency in 2020 [3].

References

1. Ueda K, Nitta H, Ono M. Effects of fine particulate matter on daily mortality for specific heart diseases in Japan. Circ J. 2009 Jul;73(7):1248-54. doi: 10.1253/circj.cj-08-1149. Epub 2009 May 8. Erratum in: Circ J. 2009 oCT;73(10):1972. PMID: 19423947.
2. He F, Yanosky JD, Fernandez-Mendoza J, Chinchilli VM, Al-Shaar L, Vgontzas AN, Bixler EO, Liao D. Acute Impact of Fine Particulate Air Pollution on Cardiac Arrhythmias in a Population-Based Sample of Adolescents: The Penn State Child Cohort. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Sep 14:e026370. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.026370. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36102241.
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Review of the national ambient air quality standards to particulate matter. Fed Regist. 2020; 85:82684–82748. Accessed on 17 September 2022.