Ambient particulate matter exposure interacts with abdominal obesity to increase blood triglycerides

Abstract

Abstract Background Blood lipids levels dysregulation represent potential mechanism intermediating the adverse cardiovascular effects of ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure. The present study aims to estimate the effect of particulate matter (PM10) exposure on blood lipid levels (TC, Total Cholesterol; HDL-C, High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol; LDL-C, Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol; TG, Triglycerides) in the adult Portuguese mainland population and to assess the potential mediation and/or modification action of abdominal obesity on this effect. Methods We used data from 2390 participants of the 1st Portuguese Health Examination Survey (INSEF, 2015) with available data on blood lipids parameters and living within a 30km radius of an air quality monitoring station with available PM10 measurements. PM10 concentrations were acquired from the air quality monitoring network of the Portuguese Environment Agency. Generalized linear models were used to assess the effect of 1-year PM10 exposure on blood lipids values. An interaction term was introduced in the models to test the modification action of abdominal obesity. Results We found an association between long-term exposure to PM10 and non-fasting blood TG levels after adjustment for age, sex, education, occupation, lifestyles related variables and temperature but only in participants with abdominal obesity (1.84% TG increase per each 1 µg/m3 PM10 increment, 95% CI: 0.02%; 3.69%) which is well supported by the sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Our study demonstrate that even at low levels of exposure, long-term PM10 exposure interacts with abdominal obesity to increase blood TG levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing the modification action of abdominal obesity regarding the PM10 effect on a blood lipid parameter. Our findings suggest that reducing both abdominal obesity prevalence and PM10 below current standards would result in additional health benefits for the population. Key messages Long-term PM10 exposure interacts with abdominal obesity to increase non-fasting blood triglycerides levels by about 2% per each 1 µg/m3 PM10 increase. Reducing both abdominal obesity prevalence and PM10 below current standards would result in additional health benefits for the population.