From: Gary Greenberg <gngreenberg@...>
Subject: Reuters/NEJM: Air Pollution & Long-term Incid. CV Events in Women
Sent: February 1, 2007 1:04:16 AM
Study Links Air Pollution Particles, Heart Disease

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/40105/story.htm

US: February 1, 2007

BOSTON - Air pollution might help cause heart disease and strokes in
older women, US researchers reported on Wednesday.

They found women living in areas with high concentrations of tiny
particles of air pollution were more prone to strokes, heart attacks
and other forms of heart disease than those living where the air is
cleaner.

"Our study provides evidence of the association between long-term
exposure to air pollution and the incidence of cardiovascular
disease," Dr. Joel Kaufman of the University of Washington at Seattle
and colleagues wrote in their report, published in this week's New
England Journal of Medicine.

The team, working with the US government-funded Women's Health
Initiative, studied the health records of nearly 66,000 women over the
age of 50 across the United States.

"We assessed the women's exposure to air pollutants using the monitor
located nearest to each woman's residence," the researchers wrote.

Each time the concentration of particulates increased by 10 micrograms
per cubic meter of air, a woman's risk of dying from heart disease
rose by 76 percent, the researchers found.
...

Story by Gene Emery
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE

= -- = -- = --

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/356/5/447

Volume 356:447-458 February 1, 2007 Number 5

Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Incidence of Cardiovascular Events
in Women
Kristin A. Miller, M.S., David S. Siscovick, M.D., M.P.H., Lianne
Sheppard, Ph.D., Kristen Shepherd, M.S., Jeffrey H. Sullivan, M.D.,
M.H.S., Garnet L. Anderson, Ph.D., and Joel D. Kaufman, M.D., M.P.H.

ABSTRACT

Background: Fine particulate air pollution has been linked to
cardiovascular disease, but previous studies have assessed only
mortality and differences in exposure between cities. We examined the
association of long-term exposure to particulate matter of less than
2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) with cardiovascular events.

Methods: We studied 65,893 postmenopausal women without previous
cardiovascular disease in 36 U.S. metropolitan areas from 1994 to
1998, with a median follow-up of 6 years. We assessed the women's
exposure to air pollutants using the monitor located nearest to each
woman's residence. Hazard ratios were estimated for the first
cardiovascular event, adjusting for age, race or ethnic group, smoking
status, educational level, household income, body-mass index, and
presence or absence of diabetes, hypertension, or
hypercholesterolemia.

Results: A total of 1816 women had one or more fatal or nonfatal
cardiovascular events, as confirmed by a review of medical records,
including death from coronary heart disease or cerebrovascular
disease, coronary revascularization, myocardial infarction, and
stroke. In 2000, levels of PM2.5 exposure varied from 3.4 to 28.3 µg
per cubic meter (mean, 13.5). Each increase of 10 µg per cubic meter
was associated with a 24% increase in the risk of a cardiovascular
event (hazard ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 1.41)
and a 76% increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease
(hazard ratio, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.25 to 2.47). For cardiovascular events,
the between-city effect appeared to be smaller than the within-city
effect. The risk of cerebrovascular events was also associated with
increased levels of PM2.5 (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.68).

Conclusions: Long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution is
associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death
among postmenopausal women. Exposure differences within cities are
associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease.

--
Gary N. Greenberg, MD MPH Sysop / Moderator Occ-Env-Med-L MailList
Univ. N. Carolina School Public Health
Medical Director
Urban Ministries of Wake County Open Door Clinic
GNGreenberg@... http://occhealthnews.net

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SOURCE: OCC-ENV-MED-L Digest for Wednesday, January 31, 2007