Pollution Causes Biological Changes Linked to Cardiovascular Disease

Bad air can trigger in young, healthy adults a string of adverse biological changes that are linked to cardiovascular disease, a Taiwan study has shown.

"Urban air pollution is a cocktail of pollutants, when you breathe it gets into your body, through the nose, the respiratory tract, then the lungs," said professor Chang-Chuan Chan at National Taiwan University's College of Public Health.

Chan's team took blood samples from students (at the aforementioned university) aged between 18 and 25, and monitored their hearts via electrocardiogram (ECG) three times between April 2004 and June 2005.

They then checked to see if there were changes to four indicators that are normally linked to heart disease. The four are inflammation, oxidative stress or damage to tissues and cells, coagulation in blood vessels and autonomic dysfunction or disruptions of unconscious bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature regulation. The results reveal there were significant changes in these indicators.

"After exposure of between one and three days, we can see these kinds of biological responses in young adults," Chan said. He also stated that "they can hardly feel the effects, but there are these changes......"

The results of this study are consistent with previous studies, but this is the first time scientists have established a correlation between all four indices and air pollution.

"Even though we use Taipei in this study, these pollutants are commonly experienced by people living in cities..," Chan said.

Although such damaging changes were reversible if periods of air pollution were brief, consequences could be dire if exposure to bad air was prolonged.

"If the dirty air stays longer, say for months, or years, then there could be chronic exposure effect." Chan stated.

"We're worried for people who already have heart disease and air pollution becomes too serious, then this will be a tipping point, leading to adverse effects, including death."

Adapted from 2007 Reuters, August 30, 2007