Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Objective: Exposure to air pollution is associated with increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of diesel exhaust inhalation on heart rhythm and heart rate variability in healthy volunteers and patients with coronary heart disease. Design and setting: Double-blind randomised crossover studies in a university teaching hospital. Patients: 32 healthy non-smoking volunteers and 20 patients with prior myocardial infarction. Interventions: All 52 subjects were exposed for 1 h to dilute diesel exhaust (particle concentration 300 μg/m3) or filtered air. Main outcome measures: Heart rhythm and heart rate variability were monitored during and for 24 h after the exposure using continuous ambulatory electrocardiography and assessed using standard time and frequency domain analysis. Results: No significant arrhythmias occurred during or following exposures. Patients with coronary heart disease had reduced autonomic function in comparison to healthy volunteers, with reduced standard deviations of the NN interval (SDNN, p<0.001) and triangular index (p<0.001). Diesel exhaust did not affect heart rate variability compared with filtered air (p>0.05 for all) in healthy volunteers (SDNN 101±6 vs 91±6, triangular index 20±1 vs 21±1) or patients with coronary heart disease (SDNN 47±5 vs 38±4, triangular index 8±1 vs 7±1). Conclusions: Brief exposure to dilute diesel exhaust does not alter heart rhythm or heart rate variability in healthy volunteers or well-treated patients with stable coronary heart disease. Autonomic dysfunction does not appear to be a dominant mechanism that can explain the observed excess in cardiovascular events following exposure to combustion-derived air pollution.

Original publication

DOI

10.1136/hrt.2010.199042

Type

Journal article

Journal

Heart

Publication Date

01/04/2011

Volume

97

Pages

544 - 550