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. 2015 Mar 30:12:7.
doi: 10.1186/s12989-015-0083-7.

Elevated particle number concentrations induce immediate changes in heart rate variability: a panel study in individuals with impaired glucose metabolism or diabetes

Annette Peters  1   2 , Regina Hampel  3 , Josef Cyrys  4   5 , Susanne Breitner  6 , Uta Geruschkat  7 , Ute Kraus  8 , Wojciech Zareba  9 , Alexandra Schneider  10
Affiliations

Elevated particle number concentrations induce immediate changes in heart rate variability: a panel study in individuals with impaired glucose metabolism or diabetes

Annette Peters et al. Part Fibre Toxicol. .

Abstract

Background: The health effects of short-term exposure to ambient ultrafine particles in micro-environments are still under investigation.

Methods: Sixty-four individuals with type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance recorded ambulatory electrocardiograms over five to six hours on 191 occasions in a panel study in Augsburg, Germany. Personal exposure to particle number concentrations (PNC) was monitored for each individual on 5-minute basis concurrently and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter<2.5 μm (PM2.5) was acquired from a central monitoring site on an hourly basis.

Results: More than 11,000 5-minute intervals were available for heart rate and measures of heart rate variability including SDNN (standard deviation of NN intervals). A concurrent decrease in 5-minute SDNN of -0.56% (95% confidence limits (CI): -1.02%; -0.09%) and a 5-minute delayed increase in heart rate of 0.23 % (95% CI: 0.11%; 0.36%) was observed with an increase in personal PNC of 16,000 per cm3 in additive mixed models. Models evaluating the association of concurrent 5-minute personal PNC and of 1-hour PM2.5 showed independent effects on SDNN.

Conclusion: The data suggest that freshly emitted ultrafine particles and aged fine particulate matter are both associated with changes in cardiac function in individuals with type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in urban areas.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of personal measurements of PNC. Data was collected starting and ending at the KORA Study Center on November 27th 2007.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effects of personally measured 5-minute PNC on SDNN based on 5-minute ECG recordings in patients with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. Effect estimates are shown for an increase of 16,000 particles cm−3.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Two pollutant models for 5-minute personal PNC and 1-hour ambient PM 2.5 on 5-minute HR and HRV parameters. in patients with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. Effect estimates are shown for an increase of 16,000 particles cm−3 and 12 μg m−3 PM2.5.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Sensitivity analyses of the association between concurrent exposure to personally measured PNC and SDNN. *Regression coefficient as reported in Table 3.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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