Associations Between Submicrometer Particles Exposures and Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Patients With Lung Function Impairments

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether submicrometer particle is associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). METHODS: We measured ambulatory systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and HR using a portable BP monitoring system and number concentrations of submicrometer particle with a size range of 0.02 to 1 microm (NC0.02-1) by a P-TRAK Ultrafine Particle Counter for 10 patients with lung function impairments. RESULTS: We found NC0.02-1 exposures at 1- to 3-hour moving averages were associated with the elevation of SBP, DBP, and HR. There were 1.4 to 3.4-mm-Hg increases in SBP, 1.4 to 2.2-mm-Hg increases in DBP, and 0.3 to 3.5-beats/min increases in HR for 10,000 particles/cm increases in NC0.02-1 at 1- to 3-hour moving averages. CONCLUSIONS: Exposures to submicrometer particles were associated with short-term increases in BP and HR in patients with lung function impairments.