181228 Particulate Matter 2.5 and Ischemic Heart Disease in 51 Counties in the United States

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Lina S. Balluz, ScD, MPH , Division of Adult and Ccommunity Health, Behavior surveillance Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Xiao-Jun Wen, MD , Division of Adult and Ccommunity Health, Behavior surveillance Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Machell Town, MS , Behavioral Surveillance Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Jeffrey D. Shire, MS , National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Judy Qualters, PhD , Environmental Health Tracking Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Ali H. Mokdad, PhD , Division of Adult and Community Health, Behavioral Surveillance Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the association between exposure to elevated annual average levels of Particulate matters (PM2.5) air quality index (AQI) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) in the general population.

Methods: We combined data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality database. We analyzed the data using SUDAAN software to adjust the effects of sampling bias, weights, and design effects.

Results: The prevalence of IHD was 9.6% among respondents who were exposed to an annual average level of PM2.5 AQI >60 compared with 5.9% among respondents exposed to an annual average PM2.5 AQI ≤60. After adjusting for demographics, smoking, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia, respondents with higher levels of PM2.5 AQI exposure were more likely to have IHD (adjusted odd ratio=1.72, 95% Confidence interval: 1.11- 2.66) than respondents with lower levels of exposure.

Conclusions: Exposure to relatively higher level of average annual PM2.5 AQI may increase the likelihood of IHD. In addition to encouraging health related behavioral changes to reduce IHD, efforts should also focus on implementing appropriate measures to reduce exposure to unhealthy AQI levels.

Learning Objectives:
1. Epidemiologic analysis can be conducted by linking BRFSS and EPA air quality data 2. Exposure to relatively higher level of average annual PM2.5 AQI increase the likelihood of Ischemic heart disease.

Keywords: Air Quality, Heart Disease

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the principal investigator responsible for data analysis, and for the writing the final manuscript.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Environmental Epidemiology Poster Session
See more of: Epidemiology