Abstract
Variations in blood count parameters are potential mechanisms involved in the occurrence of cardiovascular events caused by particulate matter (PM) exposure. This study aims to estimate the effect of PM10 exposure on blood count parameters with potential to mediate a cardiovascular event. We used data from 2211 participants of the 1st Portuguese Health Examination Survey (INSEF, 2015) with available information on blood count parameters and living within a 30-km radius of at least one air quality monitoring station with available PM10 measurements. Generalised linear models were used to assess both short (3 days) and long-term effects (1 year) of PM10 exposure on blood count parameters. Both short and long-term PM10 effects on blood count parameters were found, with males and females affected in a different way. In the short-term scenario, we found a 2.76% (95% CI: 0.65–4.87) increase in white blood cells among females per each 10μg/m3 PM10 increment. Additionally, there was a 2.96% (95% CI: 0.80–5.12) increase in red cell distribution width (RDW), per each 10μg/m3 PM10 increment, among males, when considering the long-term scenario. In conclusion, we detected some sex-differential associations regarding the short and long-term effect of PM10 exposure on blood count parameters with potential to mediate a cardiovascular event, namely on the RDW parameter, that were never been described. It is uncertain whether changes in blood count parameters due to PM10 exposure constitute an adverse health outcome or it reflects only a normal immunity response. However, due to its potential to trigger cardiovascular events, it is essential to reduce PM10 levels exposure to protect the population’s cardiovascular health.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to all the professionals and participants involved in the INSEF. The authors are also grateful to the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) for making the air quality data available.
Funding
INSEF was developed as part of the Pre-defined project financed under the Public Health Initiatives Program. “Improvement of epidemiological health information to support public health decision and management in Portugal. Towards reduced inequalities, improved health and bilateral cooperation” with a 1.500.000€ Grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway from EEA Grants and the Portuguese Government. The present study was also funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) (PhD Scholarship Reference: SFRH/BD/129426/2017). J. Ferreira is funded by national funds (OE), through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the scope of the framework contract foreseen in the numbers 4, 5 and 6 of the article 23, of the Decree-Law 57/2016, of August 29, changed by Law 57/2017, of July 19. Thanks are also due to FCT/MCTES for the financial support to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020), through national funds.
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The INSEF survey received approval from the Ethics Committee of the Portuguese National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge, the National Data Protection Authority (Authorization n° 9348/2010) and from the regional Ethics Committees. Moreover, Ethics Committee of the Portuguese National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge approved the study protocol of this particular research. All participants provided informed consent before data collection.
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Gaio, V., Roquette, R., Monteiro, A. et al. Exposure to ambient particulate matter increases blood count parameters with potential to mediate a cardiovascular event: results from a population-based study in Portugal. Air Qual Atmos Health 14, 1189–1202 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-021-01007-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-021-01007-9