Associations between submicrometer particles exposures and blood pressure and heart rate in patients with lung function impairments.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether submicrometer particle is associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). We measured ambulatory systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and HR using a portable BP monitoring system and number concentrations of submicrometer particle with a size range of 0.02 to 1 microm (NC0.02-1) by a P-TRAK Ultrafine Particle Counter for 10 patients with lung function impairments. We found NC0.02-1 exposures at 1- to 3-hour moving averages were associated with the elevation of SBP, DBP, and HR. There were 1.4 to 3.4-mm-Hg increases in SBP, 1.4 to 2.2-mm-Hg increases in DBP, and 0.3 to 3.5-beats/min increases in HR for 10,000 particles/cm increases in NC0.02-1 at 1- to 3-hour moving averages. Exposures to submicrometer particles were associated with short-term increases in BP and HR in patients with lung function impairments.