Noise from wind turbines (WTs) is reported as more annoying than traffic noise at similar levels, raising concerns as to whether WT noise (WTN) increases risk for cardiovascular disease, as observed ...for traffic noise.
We aimed to investigate whether long-term exposure to WTN increases risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.
We identified all Danish dwellings within a radius 20 times the height of the closest WT and 25% of the dwellings within Formula: see text the height of the closest WT. Using data on WT type and simulated hourly wind at each WT, we estimated hourly outdoor and low frequency (LF) indoor WTN for each dwelling and derived 1-y and 5-y running nighttime averages. We used hospital and mortality registries to identify all incident cases of MI (Formula: see text) and stroke (Formula: see text) among all adults age 25-85 y (Formula: see text), who lived in one of these dwellings for Formula: see text over the period 1982-2013. We used Poisson regression to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) adjusted for individual- and area-level covariates.
IRRs for MI in association with 5-y nighttime outdoor WTN Formula: see text (vs. Formula: see text) dB(A) and indoor LF WTN Formula: see text (vs. Formula: see text) dB(A) were 1.21 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91, 1.62; 47 exposed cases and 1.29 (95% CI: 0.73, 2.28; 12 exposed cases), respectively. IRRs for intermediate categories of outdoor WTN 24-30, 30-36, and Formula: see text vs. Formula: see text were slightly above the null and of similar size: 1.08 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.12), 1.07 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.12), and 1.06 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.22), respectively. For stroke, IRRs for the second and third outdoor exposure groups were similar to those for MI, but near or below the null for higher exposures.
We did not find convincing evidence of associations between WTN and MI or stroke. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3340.
Inconsistent associations between long-term exposure to particles with an aerodynamic diameter
fine particulate matter (
) components and mortality have been reported, partly related to challenges in ...exposure assessment.
We investigated the associations between long-term exposure to
elemental components and mortality in a large pooled European cohort; to compare health effects of
components estimated with two exposure modeling approaches, namely, supervised linear regression (SLR) and random forest (RF) algorithms.
We pooled data from eight European cohorts with 323,782 participants, average age 49 y at baseline (1985-2005). Residential exposure to 2010 annual average concentration of eight
components copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), nickel (Ni), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn) was estimated with Europe-wide SLR and RF models at a
scale. We applied Cox proportional hazards models to investigate the associations between components and natural and cause-specific mortality. In addition, two-pollutant analyses were conducted by adjusting each component for
mass and nitrogen dioxide (
) separately.
We observed 46,640 natural-cause deaths with 6,317,235 person-years and an average follow-up of 19.5 y. All SLR-modeled components were statistically significantly associated with natural-cause mortality in single-pollutant models with hazard ratios (HRs) from 1.05 to 1.27. Similar HRs were observed for RF-modeled Cu, Fe, K, S, V, and Zn with wider confidence intervals (CIs). HRs for SLR-modeled Ni, S, Si, V, and Zn remained above unity and (almost) significant after adjustment for both
and
. HRs only remained (almost) significant for RF-modeled K and V in two-pollutant models. The HRs for V were 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.05) and 1.06 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.10) for SLR- and RF-modeled exposures, respectively, per
, adjusting for
mass. Associations with cause-specific mortality were less consistent in two-pollutant models.
Long-term exposure to V in
was most consistently associated with increased mortality. Associations for the other components were weaker for exposure modeled with RF than SLR in two-pollutant models. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8368.
•We investigated PM2.5 components and mortality in the Danish population.•Eight PM2.5 components were assessed at population addresses by air pollution models.•Sulfate and SOA particles showed robust ...associations with natural cause mortality.•Elemental carbon and dust particles were associated with respiratory disease mortality.
Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) causes millions of deaths every year worldwide. Identification of the most harmful types of PM2.5 would facilitate efficient prevention strategies.
The aim of this study was to investigate associations between components of PM2.5 and mortality in a nation-wide Danish population.
Our study base was Danes born 1921–1985 and aged 30–85 years, who were followed up for mortality from 1991 to 2015. We included 678,465 natural cause mortality cases and selected five age, sex and calendar time matched controls to each case from the study base. We retrieved the address history of the study population from Danish registries and assessed five-year average concentrations of eight PM2.5 components using deterministic Chemistry-Transport Models air pollution models. We estimated mortality rate ratios (MRRs) by conditional logistic regression and adjusted for socio-demographical factors at individual and neighborhood level.
Single pollutant models showed the strongest associations between natural cause mortality and an interquartile increase in sulfate particles (SO4−-) (MRR: 1.123; 95 % CI: 1.100–1.147 per 1.5 µg/m3) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) (MRR: 1.054; 95 % CI: 1.048–1.061 per 0.050 µg/m3). Two-pollutant models showed robust associations between SO4−− and SOA and natural cause mortality. Elemental carbon and mineral dust showed robust associations with higher respiratory and lung cancer mortality.
This nation-wide study found robust associations between natural cause mortality and SO4−− particles and SOA, which is in line with the results of previous studies. Elemental carbon and mineral dust showed robust associations with higher respiratory and lung cancer mortality.
Long-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with several adverse health effects including cardiovascular, respiratory diseases and cancers. However, underlying molecular alterations ...remain to be further investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to air pollutants on (a) average DNA methylation at functional regions and, (b) individual differentially methylated CpG sites. An assumption is that omic measurements, including the methylome, are more sensitive to low doses than hard health outcomes.
This study included blood-derived DNA methylation (Illumina-HM450 methylation) for 454 Italian and 159 Dutch participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Long-term air pollution exposure levels, including NO2, NOx, PM2.5, PMcoarse, PM10, PM2.5 absorbance (soot) were estimated using models developed within the ESCAPE project, and back-extrapolated to the time of sampling when possible. We meta-analysed the associations between the air pollutants and global DNA methylation, methylation in functional regions and epigenome-wide methylation. CpG sites found differentially methylated with air pollution were further investigated for functional interpretation in an independent population (EnviroGenoMarkers project), where (N=613) participants had both methylation and gene expression data available.
Exposure to NO2 was associated with a significant global somatic hypomethylation (p-value=0.014). Hypomethylation of CpG island's shores and shelves and gene bodies was significantly associated with higher exposures to NO2 and NOx. Meta-analysing the epigenome-wide findings of the 2 cohorts did not show genome-wide significant associations at single CpG site level. However, several significant CpG were found if the analyses were separated by countries. By regressing gene expression levels against methylation levels of the exposure-related CpG sites, we identified several significant CpG-transcript pairs and highlighted 5 enriched pathways for NO2 and 9 for NOx mainly related to the immune system and its regulation.
Our findings support results on global hypomethylation associated with air pollution, and suggest that the shores and shelves of CpG islands and gene bodies are mostly affected by higher exposure to NO2 and NOx. Functional differences in the immune system were suggested by transcriptome analyses.
•We studied the effects of long-term exposure to air pollutants on DNA methylation.•A consistent global hypomethylation was observed for exposure to ambient NO2 and NOx.•This hypomethylation was observed for CpG island's shores, shelves and gene bodies.•No CpG sites were epigenome-wide significant in a combined analysis of a low and high exposed cohort.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia and is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The few studies conducted on short-term effects of air pollution on episodes ...of atrial fibrillation indicate a positive association, though not consistently.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term impact of traffic-related air pollution on incidence of atrial fibrillation in the general population.
In the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort of 57,053 people 50-64 years old at enrollment in 1993-1997, we identified 2,700 cases of first-ever hospital admission for atrial fibrillation from enrollment to end of follow-up in 2011. For all cohort members, exposure to traffic-related air pollution assessed as nitrogen dioxide (NO
) and nitrogen oxides (NO
) was estimated at all present and past residential addresses from 1984 to 2011 using a validated dispersion model. We used Cox proportional hazard model to estimate associations between long-term residential exposure to NO
and NO
and risk of atrial fibrillation, after adjusting for lifestyle and socioeconomic position.
A 10 μg/m
higher 10-year time-weighted mean exposure to NO
preceding diagnosis was associated with an 8% higher risk of atrial fibrillation incidence rate ratio: 1.08; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.14 in adjusted analysis. Though weaker, similar results were obtained for long-term residential exposure to NO
. We found no clear tendencies regarding effect modification of the association between NO
and atrial fibrillation by sex, smoking, hypertension or myocardial infarction.
We found long-term residential traffic-related air pollution to be associated with higher risk of atrial fibrillation. Accordingly, the present findings lend further support to the demand for abatement of air pollution. Citation: Monrad M, Sajadieh A, Christensen JS, Ketzel M, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Tjønneland A, Overvad K, Loft S, Sørensen M. 2017. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and risk of incident atrial fibrillation: a cohort study. Environ Health Perspect 125:422-427; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP392.
•Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with the development of COPD.•Associations persisted at low exposure levels with no evidence for a threshold.•Traffic-related pollutants NO2 and BC ...may be the most relevant.
Air pollution has been suggested as a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but evidence is sparse and inconsistent.
We examined the association between long-term exposure to low-level air pollution and COPD incidence.
Within the ‘Effects of Low-Level Air Pollution: A Study in Europe’ (ELAPSE) study, we pooled data from three cohorts, from Denmark and Sweden, with information on COPD hospital discharge diagnoses. Hybrid land use regression models were used to estimate annual mean concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon (BC) in 2010 at participants’ baseline residential addresses, which were analysed in relation to COPD incidence using Cox proportional hazards models.
Of 98,058 participants, 4,928 developed COPD during 16.6 years mean follow-up. The adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals for associations with COPD incidence were 1.17 (1.06, 1.29) per 5 µg/m3 for PM2.5, 1.11 (1.06, 1.16) per 10 µg/m3 for NO2, and 1.11 (1.06, 1.15) per 0.5 10−5m−1 for BC. Associations persisted in subset participants with PM2.5 or NO2 levels below current EU and US limit values and WHO guidelines, with no evidence for a threshold. HRs for NO2 and BC remained unchanged in two-pollutant models with PM2.5, whereas the HR for PM2.5 was attenuated to unity with NO2 or BC.
Long-term exposure to low-level air pollution is associated with the development of COPD, even below current EU and US limit values and possibly WHO guidelines. Traffic-related pollutants NO2 and BC may be the most relevant.
The ESCAPE study (European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects) investigates long-term effects of exposure to air pollution on human health in Europe. This paper documents the spatial ...variation of measured NO2 and NOx concentrations between and within 36 ESCAPE study areas across Europe.
In all study areas NO2 and NOx were measured using standardized methods between October 2008 and April 2011. On average, 41 sites were selected per study area, including regional and urban background as well as street sites. The measurements were conducted in three different seasons, using Ogawa badges. Average concentrations for each site were calculated after adjustment for temporal variation using data obtained from a routine monitor background site.
Substantial spatial variability was found in NO2 and NOx concentrations between and within study areas; 40% of the overall NO2 variance was attributable to the variability between study areas and 60% to variability within study areas. The corresponding values for NOx were 30% and 70%. The within-area spatial variability was mostly determined by differences between street and urban background concentrations. The street/urban background concentration ratio for NO2 varied between 1.09 and 3.16 across areas. The highest median concentrations were observed in Southern Europe, the lowest in Northern Europe.
In conclusion, we found significant contrasts in annual average NO2 and NOx concentrations between and especially within 36 study areas across Europe. Epidemiological long-term studies should therefore consider different approaches for better characterization of the intra-urban contrasts, either by increasing of the number of monitors or by modelling.
► We measured NO2 and NOx in 36 European study areas using standardized method. ► Significant contrast in NO2 and NOx levels between and within areas were found. ► Concentrations were generally lower in Northern than in Southern Europe. ► Street/urban background contrast was higher than for the particle metrics. ► Epidemiological studies should characterize intra-urban contrasts.
Aims The relevance of ultrafine particles (UFPs, particles <0.1 µm diameter), the smallest fraction of ambient particulate matter, on stroke morbidity has not been documented. We studied the effects ...of short-term changes in exposure to these particles on stroke, separately for ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes, mild and severe strokes, and ischaemic strokes with (likely embolic) and without (likely thrombotic) atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and results We used a time-stratified case-crossover design to study the association between short-term exposure to UFPs, particulate matter <10 µm in diameter (PM10), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) (measured at single background station) and hospital admissions for stroke in Copenhagen (2003−2006). Of 7485 stroke admissions, 6798 were ischaemic and 687 haemorrhagic, 3485 mild, and 2248 severe. Of the ischaemic stroke cases, 1204 had AF and 5273 did not. We found significant positive association with exposure to UFPs, NOx and CO, and ischaemic strokes, and UFPs and NOx and mild strokes, 4 days before admission. The strongest associations were with UFPs. Exposure to UFPs lead to a 21% increase in hospital admissions (per interquartile range of 5-day averages; 95% confidence interval 4–41%) for mild ischaemic stroke of without AF (likely thrombotic origin). Conclusion Our results indicate possible effects of traffic-related air pollution, mainly UFPs, on hospital admissions for ischaemic stroke, especially for mild ischaemic stroke of likely thrombotic origin (without AF). These are novel findings regarding the relevance of UFPs and the heterogeneous effect of air pollution on the severity and origin of stroke, and need confirmation by other data.
High arsenic concentration in drinking water is associated with a higher incidence rate of stroke, but only few studies have investigated an association with arsenic in drinking water at low ...concentration (<50 μg/L).
To examine if arsenic in drinking water at low concentration was associated with higher incidence rate of stroke in Denmark.
A total of 57,053 individuals from the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort was included in the study (enrolment in 1993–1997, age 50–64 years), of which 2195 individuals had incident stroke between enrolment and November 2009. Individuals were enrolled in two major cities (Copenhagen and Aarhus). Residential addresses in the period 1973–2009 were geocoded and arsenic concentration in drinking water at each address was estimated by linking addresses with water supply areas. Associations between arsenic concentration and incidence rate of stroke were analysed using a generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were adjusted for differences in age, sex, calendar-year, lifestyle factors, and educational level.
Median arsenic concentration in drinking water was 0.7 μg/L at enrolment addresses (range: 0.03 to 25 μg/L), with highest concentrations in the Aarhus area. The adjusted IRRs were 1.17 (95% CI: 1.04–1.32) for the highest arsenic quartile (1.93–25.3 μg/L) when compared with the lowest quartile (0.049–0.57 μg/L), but the highest IRR was seen in the second quartile (0.57–0.76 μg/L) (IRR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.07–1.36). The highest IRR in the upper quartile was seen in the Aarhus area (IRR = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.41–2.26). Having ever been exposed to10 μg/L or more arsenic in drinking water resulted in an IRR at 1.44 (95% CI: 1.00–2.08) for all strokes and 1.63 (95% CI: 1.11–2.39) for ischemic strokes.
The results indicate that arsenic in drinking water even at low concentration is associated with higher incidence rate of stroke.
•A prospective cohort study of arsenic in drinking water among 57,053 individuals•20-year time-weighted average of arsenic was associated with the incidence rate of stroke.•Ever been exposed to 10 μg/L or more arsenic was associated with incidence rate of stroke.•The association was most pronounced for ischemic stroke.
Epidemiological evidence on the association between ambient air pollution and breast cancer risk is inconsistent.
We examined the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and ...incidence of postmenopausal breast cancer in European women.
In 15 cohorts from nine European countries, individual estimates of air pollution levels at the residence were estimated by standardized land-use regression models developed within the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE) and Transport related Air Pollution and Health impacts – Integrated Methodologies for Assessing Particulate Matter (TRANSPHORM) projects: particulate matter (PM) ≤2.5μm, ≤10μm, and 2.5–10μm in diameter (PM
, PM
, and PM
, respectively); PM
absorbance; nitrogen oxides (NO
and NO
); traffic intensity; and elemental composition of PM. We estimated cohort-specific associations between breast cancer and air pollutants using Cox regression models, adjusting for major lifestyle risk factors, and pooled cohort-specific estimates using random-effects meta-analyses.
Of 74,750 postmenopausal women included in the study, 3,612 developed breast cancer during 991,353 person-years of follow-up. We found positive and statistically insignificant associations between breast cancer and PM
{hazard ratio (HR)=1.08 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 1.51 per 5 μg/m
}, PM
1.07 (95% CI: 0.89, 1.30) per 10 μg/m
, PM
1.20 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.49 per 5 μg/m
, and NO
1.02 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.07 per 10 μg/m
, and a statistically significant association with NO
1.04 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.08) per 20 μg/m
,
=0.04.
We found suggestive evidence of an association between ambient air pollution and incidence of postmenopausal breast cancer in European women. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1742.
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