Effects of indoor, outdoor, and personal exposure to particulate air pollution on cardiovascular physiology and systemic mediators in seniors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between exposure to particulate air pollution and changes in cardiovascular function and plasma mediators in seniors. METHODS: We monitored daily indoor and outdoor black carbon and particulate matter < or = 2.5 microm (pm(2.5)) and personal pm(2.5) repeatedly for 28 nonsmoking seniors. We then measured their blood pressure, heart rate, and brachial artery function, and determined plasma mediators of inflammation, vascular function, and oxidative stress. We tested associations using mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Increases in black carbon and pm2.5 were associated with increases in blood pressure, heart rate, endothelin-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and oxidative stress marker thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and a decrease in brachial artery diameter (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Daily exposure to particulate pollution, likely traffic-related, may result in adverse effects on cardiovascular function and blood mediators that modulate vascular system in seniors.

Particulate air pollution and vascular reactivity: the bus stop study.

OBJECTIVE: Particulate air pollution is associated with cardiovascular morbidity but mechanisms are not well understood. We tested the effects on vascular reactivity of exposure to fine particulates matter mass (PM(2.5)), number of particles

Influence of personal exposure to particulate air pollution on cardiovascular physiology and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in subjects with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether personal exposure to particulate matter

Comparison of treadmill exercise versus dipyridamole stress with myocardial perfusion imaging using rubidium-82 positron emission tomography.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the feasibility of treadmill exercise rubidium-82 ((82)Rb) positron emission tomography (PET) and compared image quality and diagnostic content with dipyridamole (82)Rb PET in patients referred for evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: Dipyridamole stress (82)Rb PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is an accurate imaging modality used to diagnose CAD and determine prognosis. Although pharmacologic stress is used routinely, exercise treadmill stress may be an alternative and provide clinical information helpful to decision making, particularly for patients unwilling or unable to tolerate pharmacologic stress. METHODS: Fifty patients (mean age, 60 +/- 10 years; 47 men) underwent treadmill exercise and dipyridamole (82)Rb PET. Images were assessed: 1) qualitatively using a 17-segment model and a semiquantitative visual score on a five-point scale and with calculation of summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS), and summed difference score (SDS); and 2) quantitatively with a 70% threshold for abnormal perfusion and expressed as extent of abnormal perfusion (% left ventricular). RESULTS: Treadmill exercise was preferred by 74% of patients (37 of 50, p < 0.001). The exercise and dipyridamole (82)Rb PET summed scores and quantitative extent of abnormal perfusion were very similar and highly correlated. Results of Bland-Altman analysis showed no significant bias. Image quality was superior with exercise stress with greater myocardial uptake and higher target to background ratios. CONCLUSIONS: Treadmill exercise (82)Rb PET is feasible and provides imaging results of similar diagnostic content and superior image quality compared with dipyridamole stress. Treadmill exercise is a reasonable alternative to pharmacologic stress with (82)Rb PET MPI.