Daily Exposure to Air Pollution Particulate Matter Is Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in High-Risk Patients

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Cardiovascular Epidemiology
• Air Pollution Research

Background:

• Epidemiological studies link acute exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) with cardiovascular diseases.
• The impact of pollution on atrial fibrillation (AF) beyond immediate exposure is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between daily exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 and the incidence of AF.
• To evaluate the effects of moderate air pollution levels on AF in patients with cardiac devices.

Main Methods:

• A multicentric prospective study enrolled 145 patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators or pacemakers.
• Daily PM2.5 and PM10 levels were recorded from monitoring stations near patients' residences.
• A Firth Logistic Regression model analyzed the association between daily air pollutant levels and AF events.

Main Results:

• Moderate exposure levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were observed, exceeding WHO thresholds on 26% and 18% of follow-up days, respectively.
• A significant association was found between daily PM2.5 and PM10 levels and AF incidence.
• An increase of 50 µg/m³ above WHO thresholds for PM2.5 and PM10 was associated with increased AF risk (95% CIs: 1.34-2.40 and 1.44-4.28, respectively).

Conclusions:

• Daily exposure to moderate levels of PM2.5 and PM10 is associated with an increased risk of AF.
• This association was observed even in patients not previously prone to AF.
• Findings suggest potential long-term cardiovascular risks from sustained exposure to common air pollution levels.