Journal Article

Exposure to wood smoke increases arterial stiffness and decreases heart rate variability in humans

Bosson, Jenny A, Unosson, Jon, Nyström, Robin, Langrish, Jeremy P, Sandström, Thomas, Muala, Ala, Mills, Nicholas L, Boman, Christoffer, Westerholm, Roger, Newby, David E, Blomberg, Anders

2013

Overview

Background Emissions from biomass combustion are a major source of indoor and outdoor air pollution, and are estimated to cause millions of premature deaths worldwide annually. Whilst adverse respiratory health effects of biomass exposure are well established, less is known about its effects on the cardiovascular system. In this study we assessed the effect of exposure to wood smoke on heart rate, blood pressure, central arterial stiffness and heart rate variability in otherwise healthy persons. Methods Fourteen healthy non-smoking subjects participated in a randomized, double-blind crossover study. Subjects were exposed to dilute wood smoke (mean particle concentration of 314±38 μg/m 3 ) or filtered air for three hours during intermittent exercise. Heart rate, blood pressure, central arterial stiffness and heart rate variability were measured at baseline and for one hour post-exposure. Results Central arterial stiffness, measured as augmentation index, augmentation pressure and pulse wave velocity, was higher after wood smoke exposure as compared to filtered air (p < 0.01 for all), and heart rate was increased (p < 0.01) although there was no effect on blood pressure. Heart rate variability (SDNN, RMSSD and pNN50; p = 0.003, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 respectively) was decreased one hour following exposure to wood smoke compared to filtered air. Conclusions Acute exposure to wood smoke as a model of exposure to biomass combustion is associated with an immediate increase in central arterial stiffness and a simultaneous reduction in heart rate variability. As biomass is used for cooking and heating by a large fraction of the global population and is currently advocated as a sustainable alternative energy source, further studies are required to establish its likely impact on cardiovascular disease. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01488500

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adult / Air pollution / Alternative energy sources / Arterial stiffness / Biomass / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / Blood pressure / Blood Pressure - drug effects / Cardiovascular / Cardiovascular diseases / Cardiovascular system / Combustion / Cross-Over Studies / Diagnosis / Double-Blind Method / Environmental Health / Exercise Test / Exposure / Female / Health aspects / Heart / Heart beat / Heart rate / Heart Rate - drug effects / Heart rate variability / Humans / Inhalation Exposure - adverse effects / Male / Measurement / Nanotechnology / Outdoor air quality / Pharmacology/Toxicology / Pneumology/Respiratory System / Public Health / Pulse Wave Analysis / Risk Assessment / Smoke / Smoke - adverse effects / Smoke inhalation injuries / Studies / Time Factors / Vascular Stiffness - drug effects / Wave velocity / Wood / Wood - adverse effects / Young Adult