Environmental and occupational particulate matter exposures and ectopic heart beats in welders

Links between arrhythmias and particulate matter exposures have been found among sensitive populations. We examined the relationship between personal particulate matter ≤2.5 µm aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) exposures and ectopy in a panel study of healthy welders.

Simultaneous ambulatory ECG and personal PM2.5 exposure monitoring with DustTrak Aerosol Monitor was performed on 72 males during work and non-work periods for 5-90 h (median 40 h). ECGs were summarised hourly for supraventricular ectopy (SVE) and ventricular ectopy (VE). PM2.5 exposures both work and non-work periods were averaged hourly with lags from 0 to 7 h. Generalised linear mixed-effects models with a random participant intercept were used to examine the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and the odds of SVE or VE. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess whether relationships differed by work period and among current smokers.

Participants had a mean (SD) age of 38 (11) years and were monitored over 2993 person-hours. The number of hourly ectopic events was highly skewed with mean (SD) of 14 (69) VE and 1 (4) SVE. We found marginally significant increases in VE with PM2.5 exposures in the sixth and seventh hour lags, yet no association with SVE. For every 100 μg/m(3) increase in sixth hour lagged PM2.5, the adjusted OR (95% CI) for VE was 1.03 (1.00 to 1.05). Results persisted in work or non-work exposure periods and non-smokers had increased odds of VE associated with PM2.5 as compared with smokers.

A small increase in the odds of VE with short-term PM2.5 exposure was observed among relatively healthy men with environmental and occupational exposures.