Glucose metabolism disorder enhanced the changes in cardiovascular function associated with exposure to ambient air particulate matter: a panel study

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Exposure to ambient air particulate matter (PM) is associated with increasing risk to cardiovascular diseases, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to assess the effects of exposure to PM on indicators of cardiovascular function in a group of Beijing residents with and without pre-diabetes. METHODS: In a panel study (SCOPE) conducted in Beijing, China, 112 nonsmoking participants completed two to seven clinical visits. Indicators of cardiovascular function, including peripheral blood pressure, central arterial pressure, augmentation pressure normalized to a heart rate of 75 bpm (AP75), augmentation index normalized to a heart rate of 75 bpm (AIx75), ejection duration (ED), subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR), and reactive hyperemia index (RHI) were measured. Fine particles (PM₂.₅), ultrafine particles (UFP), accumulation-mode particles (AMP), and black carbon (BC) were monitored continuously at a fixed monitoring site. The associations between changes in cardiovascular function and moving average concentrations of PM during 1-7 day prior to clinical visits, and the modification of glucose metabolism status on such associations were examined with linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS:The changes in cardiovascular function associated with PM exposure differed significantly between participants with and without pre-diabetes. Among pre-diabetic participants, higher peripheral blood pressure and central arterial pressure were in significant association with UFP, AMP, or BC exposure, for example, an interquartile range increment in 7-day moving average BC exposure (4.8 μg/m³) was associated with 3.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.6%, 5.9%) increase in peripheral systolic blood pressure (p-SBP), while the associations among those without pre-diabetes were close to null or inverse. Additionally, positive associations in AP75 with BC exposure, and negative associations in SEVR with PM₂.₅ exposure were only shown among pre-diabetic participants. CONCLUSIONS:Glucose metabolism disorder may enhance the adverse impacts of exposure to PM on cardiovascular function. KEYWORDS: Particulate matter, cardiovascular function, pre-diabetes