Persistent Organic Pollutants and Heart Rate Variability: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study in China

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Toxicology
• Cardiovascular Science

Background:

• Growing evidence links persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to cardiovascular disease.
• Limited research exists on the specific associations between various POPs, individually or as mixtures, and heart rate variability (HRV).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between serum concentrations of multiple POPs and HRV indicators in Chinese adults.
• To identify specific POPs associated with HRV changes and assess the impact of POP mixtures on HRV.

Main Methods:

• Serum concentrations of 100 POPs and 7 HRV indicators were measured in 159 Chinese adults.
• Single-pollutant regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression identified significant POP-HRV pairs.
• Weighted quantile sum and Bayesian kernel machine regression models analyzed the joint effects of POP mixtures.

Main Results:

• Propetamphos, phosalone, metolachlor, and hexachlorobenzene showed consistent associations with HRV indicators.
• Increased propetamphos levels were linked to decreased r-MSSD and very high frequency.
• Increased hexachlorobenzene levels were associated with increased r-MSSD and very high frequency.
• Mixture analyses indicated that combined POP exposure, primarily driven by propetamphos, was associated with lower r-MSSD and very high frequency.

Conclusions:

• POPs exposure is potentially linked to altered HRV, with propetamphos identified as a significant factor.
• These findings address a knowledge gap regarding POP mixtures and HRV.
• The study provides a basis for future research on POPs exposure management and cardiovascular disease prevention.