Coarse Particulate Matter and Markers of Inflammation and Coagulation in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Population: A Repeat Measures Analysis

Abstract

Background: In contrast to fine particles, less is known of the inflammatory and coagulation impacts of coarse particulate matter ( , particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ). Toxicological research suggests that these pathways might be important processes by which impacts health, but there are relatively few epidemiological studies due to a lack of a national monitoring network. Objectives: We used new spatiotemporal exposure models to examine associations of both 1-y and 1-month average concentrations with markers of inflammation and coagulation. Methods: We leveraged data from 7,071 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and ancillary study participants 45–84 y of age who had repeated plasma measures of inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers. We estimated at participant addresses 1 y and 1 month before each of up to four exams (2000–2012) using spatiotemporal models that incorporated satellite, regulatory monitoring, and local geographic data and accounted for spatial correlation. We used random effects models to estimate associations with interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and D-dimer, controlling for potential confounders. Results: Increases in were not associated with greater levels of inflammation or coagulation. A increase in annual average was associated with a 2.5% decrease in CRP [95% confidence interval (CI): , 0.6]. We saw no association between annual average and the other markers (IL-6: , 95% CI: , 1.2; fibrinogen: , 95% CI: , 0.3; D-dimer: , 95% CI: , 2.4). Associations consistently showed that a increase in 1-month average was associated with reduced inflammation and coagulation, though none were distinguishable from no association (IL-6: , 95% CI: , 0.5; CRP: , 95% CI: , 0.4; fibrinogen: , 95% CI: , 0.1; D-dimer: , 95% CI: , 0.3). Discussion: We found no evidence that is associated with higher inflammation or coagulation levels. More research is needed to determine whether the inflammation and coagulation pathways are as important in explaining observed health impacts in humans as they have been shown to be in toxicology studies or whether might impact human health through alternative biological mechanisms. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12972

Broader Perspective on Atherosclerosis—Selected Risk Factors, Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Approach

“…Modified lipids cause the intima's inflammatory cells to release chemokines and cytokines such as TNFα, IL-1, -4, and -6, and interferon-gamma. These chemokines and cytokines subsequently activate additional leukocytes, endothelial cells, and adhesion molecules, including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) [32]. These altered lipoproteins contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.…”