Particle-associated organic compounds and symptoms in myocardial infarction survivors

Abstract

Context: The aerosol components responsible for the adverse health effects of the exposure to particulate matter (PM) have not been conclusively identified, and there is especially little information on the role of particulate organic compounds (POC).

Objective: This study evaluated the role of PM and POC with regard to daily symptoms.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-three myocardial infarction survivors from Augsburg, Germany, recorded daily occurrence of different symptoms in winter 2003/2004. Ambient concentrations of PM with a diameter <2.5 μm (PM_2.5), particle number concentration (PNC), PM_2.5-bound hopanes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were quantified. Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations adjusting for meteorological and other time-variant confounders.

Results: The odds for avoidance of physically demanding activities due to heart problems increased immediately associated with most POC measures (e.g. 5% per 1.08 ng/m³ increase in benzo[a]pyrene, 95%-confidence interval (CI):1–9%) and tended to a delayed decrease. After a 2-day delayed decrease associated with hopanes, the odds for shortness of breath increased consistently after 3 days with almost all POC measures (e.g. 4% per 0.21 ng/m³ increase in 17α(H), 21β(H)-hopane, CI: 1–8%). The odds for heart palpitations marginally increased immediately in association with PNC (8% per 8146 cm⁻³ increase in PNC, CI: 0–16%).

Conclusions: The study showed an association between PM, particle-bound POC, and daily symptoms. The organic compounds may be causally related with cardiovascular health or act rather as indicators for traffic- and combustion-related particles.

Keywords::

• Air pollution
• hopanes
• PAH
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• symptoms

Acknowledgements

The AIRGENE study was funded as part of the European Union’s 5th framework “Environmental and Health” contract QLRT-2002-02236. This research has been funded in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through STAR grant RD832415 to the University of Rochester. It has not been subjected to the Agency’s required peer and policy review and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred. The Focus Network Nanoparticles and Health (NanoHealth) coordinates and focuses all Helmholtz Zentrum München research on health effects and the characterization of aerosols. It comprises research projects of the Institutes of Ecological Chemistry, Epidemiology, and Radiation Protection at Helmholtz Zentrum München.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Appendix

Appendix A: Seasonality of POC

PAH and hopanes showed very strong seasonality as values were below the limit of quantification on several days in the summer period. The traffic hopanes showed an increase in concentration by a factor up to 6 comparing low summer concentrations with high winter values. The coal combustion hopanes showed even high differences with up to 70-fold higher concentrations in winter months compared with summer months. Like the other combustion source-derived compounds, concentrations of PAH also showed a strong seasonality with high concentrations in winter months and low concentrations during summer. The ratios of the highest and lowest concentrations (monthly averages) were in the range of 30 to 110 (Schnelle-Kreis et al., 2007). Beside meteorological influences and (photo)oxidation during atmospheric transport, the main reasons for the seasonal patterns are increased emissions from domestic heating and from mobile sources due to extended cold start conditions in colder months (Figure A.1).

Figure A.1.  Daily mean concentrations of hopanes (top panel) and of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (bottom panel) from May 19, 2003 until February 12, 2004. For abbreviations, see Table 2 in the main document.

Appendix B: Confounder models

Table B.1.  Confounder models for each symptom.

Appendix C: Regression results

Table C.1.  Odds ratios for the association of PM_2.5 and PNC with the occurrence of symptoms in myocardial infarction survivors (from October 15, 2003 to February 12, 2004).

Table C.2.  Odds ratios for the association of hopanes with the occurrence of symptoms in myocardial infarction survivors (from October 15, 2003 to February 12, 2004).

Table C.3.  Odds ratios for the association of PAH with the occurrence of symptoms in myocardial infarction survivors (from October 15, 2003 to February 12, 2004).

Appendix references

Schnelle-Kreis J, Sklorz M, Orasche J, Stolzel M, Peters A, Zimmermann R. 2007. Semi volatile organic compounds in ambient PM2.5. Seasonal trends and daily resolved source contributions. Environ Sci Technol 41:3821–3828.