Residential Exposure to PM_2.5 and Ozone and Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis Among Women Transitioning Through Menopause: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation

Abstract

Objective: This article aims to examine the association between long-term ambient air pollution and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis with 2-year follow-up among midlife women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Materials and Methods: Carotid duplex ultrasonography was performed in participants from a SWAN ancillary study carried out at the Pittsburgh and Chicago sites. Mean and maximum carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and plaque burden were assessed throughout the common, bulb, and internal carotid artery. The yearly mean exposure to PM 2.5 (particulate matter) and ozone was generated based on monitors within 20 km of the participants' home. The effect of air pollutants during follow-up on progression of CIMT was estimated using linear mixed-effects models, and the effect on progression of plaque presence and plaque index, a measure of extent of plaque, was evaluated using logistic regression. Results: This study included 417 (257 White and 160 Black) women with a mean age of 51 years at baseline. A 1 lg/m 3 higher yearly mean exposure to PM 2.5 during follow-up was associated with a 4.28 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02-8.54) lm/year increase in maximum CIMT, after adjusting for socioeconomic and traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Exposure to PM 2.5 contributed to a 30% (95% CI: 3%-65%) higher odds of plaque index progression adjusting for socioeconomic factors only. Conclusions: PM 2.5 independently contributed to progression of subclinical atherosclerosis, among women transitioning through menopause, a time of increasing CVD risk. Yet no significant associations between ozone and subclinical atherosclerosis were observed.

Long-term air pollution exposure and serum lipids and blood sugar: A longitudinal cohort study from the electricity generating authority of Thailand study

“…We extracted data for 2,129 participants (age 52-71 years as of 2002) who lived in BMR in 2002 and met the following criteria: (1) participated in follow-up surveys at least twice (2002 and 2007) or three times (2002, 2007, and 2012) (Adar et al, 2013;Duan et al, 2019;Kaufman et al, 2016;Wang et al, 2019;Wilker et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2021), and (2) lived in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, or Pathum Thani during the study period. We excluded 290 participants who died or were lost to follow-up before 2007, or who moved from the study area in 2007.…”

Modern Concepts of the Role of Fine Particles (PM 2.5) in the Genesis of Atherosclerosis and Myocardial Damage: Clinical and Epidemiological Data, the Main Pathophysiological Mechanisms

“…Thus, the highest degree of increase in CIMT (by 15.6%, 95% CI = 5.7-26.6%) was typical for women over 60 years old [ 34 ]. Subsequently, many studies have confirmed the existence of the relation between exposure to PM 2.5 and the increase in the marker of subclinical atherosclerosis - CIMT [ 35 - 39 ]. One of the significant sources of atmospheric air pollution (increased concentration of PM 2.5) is road transport, especially in conditions of heavy traffic.…”

Associations of time-weighted individual exposure to ambient particulate matter with carotid atherosclerosis in Beijing, China

“…Association between PM and atherosclerotic lesion has been explored by animal models and population-based studies [ 11 , 12 ], but the results were not generally consistent. Long-term exposure to PM was demonstrated as an important risk factor for CIMT in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies among late midlife women [ 13 ] or women transitioning through menopause [ 14 ], adolescents or young adults [ 15 ], children [ 16 ], general population [ 17 , 18 ] and even HIV-positive adolescents [ 19 ]. But such association was not found in some other studies for either PM 2.5 [ 20 , 21 ] or PM 10 [ 15 ].…”