Swedish study links long-term air pollution to heart disease buildup
Researchers tracked 30,000 people and found that chronic exposure to fine air particles accelerates coronary atherosclerosis—the dangerous buildup of plaque in heart arteries. The findings, based on actual imaging data rather than health claims alone, could reshape how cities and insurers assess pollution's true health and financial costs.
Originaltitel: Long-term ambient air pollution and coronary atherosclerosis: Results from the Swedish SCAPIS study
<p>Background and aims</p><p>Despite firm evidence for an association between long-term ambient air pollution exposure and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, results from epidemiological studies on the association between air pollution exposure and atherosclerosis have not been consistent. We investigated associations between long-term low-level air pollution exposure and coronary atherosclerosis.</p><p>Methods</p><p>We performed a cross-sectional analysis in the large Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImaging Study (SCAPIS, n = 30 154), a random general population sample. Concentrations of total and locally emitted particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), <10 μm (PM<sub>10</sub>), and nitrogen oxides (NO<sub>x</sub>) at the residential address were modelled using high-resolution dispersion models. We estimated associations between air pollution exposures and segment involvement score (SIS), coronary artery calcification score (CACS), number of non-calcified plaques (NCP), and number of significant stenoses, using ordinal regression models extensively adjusted for potential confounders.</p><p>Results</p><p>Median 10-year average PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure was 6.2 μg/m<sup>3</sup> (range 3.5–13.4 μg/m<sup>3</sup>). 51 % of participants were women and 51 % were never-smokers. None of the assessed pollutants were associated with a higher SIS or CACS. Exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> was associated with NCP (adjusted OR 1.34, 95 % CI 1.13, 1.58, per 2.05 μg/m<sup>3</sup>). Associations with significant stenoses were inconsistent.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>In this large, middle-aged general population sample with low exposure levels, air pollution was not associated with measures of total burden of coronary atherosclerosis. However, PM<sub>2.5</sub> appeared to be associated with a higher prevalence of non-calcified plaques. The results suggest that increased risk of early-stage atherosclerosis or rupture, but not increased total atherosclerotic burden, may be a pathway for long-term air pollution effects on cardiovascular disease.</p>