Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sci Total Environ. 2013 Oct 1;463-464:176-81. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.05.093. Epub 2013 Jun 23.
Indoor air pollution is associated with cardiovascular effects, however, little is known about the effects of improving indoor air quality on cardiovascular health. The aim of this study was to explore whether improving indoor air quality through air conditioning can improve cardiovascular health in human subjects. We recruited a panel of 300 healthy subjects from Taipei, aged 20 and over, to participate in six home visits each, to measure a variety of cardiovascular endpoints, including high sensitivity-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), fibrinogen in plasma and heart rate variability (HRV). Indoor particles and total volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured simultaneously at the participant's home during each visit. Three exposure conditions were investigated in this study: participants were requested to keep their windows open during the first two visits, close their windows during the next two visits, and close the windows and turn on their air conditioners during the last two visits. We used linear mixed-effects models to associate the cardiovascular endpoints with individual indoor air pollutants. The results showed that increases in hs-CRP, 8-OHdG and fibrinogen, and decreases in HRV indices were associated with increased levels of indoor particles and total VOCs in single-pollutant and two-pollutant models. The effects of indoor particles and total VOCs on cardiovascular endpoints were greatest during visits with the windows open. During visits with the air conditioners turned on, no significant changes in cardiovascular endpoints were observed. In conclusion, indoor air pollution is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, blood coagulation and autonomic dysfunction. Reductions in indoor air pollution and subsequent improvements in cardiovascular health can be achieved by closing windows and turning on air conditioners at home.
室内空气污染与心血管效应有关，但是，改善室内空气质量对心血管健康的影响知之甚少。本研究旨在探讨通过空调改善室内空气质量是否可以改善人体的心血管健康。我们从台北招募了 300 名年龄在 20 岁及以上的健康受试者，每个受试者参加 6 次家庭访问，以测量多种心血管终点，包括高敏 C 反应蛋白（hs-CRP）、8-羟基-2'-脱氧鸟苷（8-OHdG）、血浆纤维蛋白原和心率变异性（HRV）。在每次访问期间，我们同时在参与者的家中测量室内颗粒和总挥发性有机化合物（VOC）。本研究调查了三种暴露条件：要求参与者在前两次访问时保持窗户打开，在接下来的两次访问时关闭窗户，在最后两次访问时关闭窗户并打开空调。我们使用线性混合效应模型将心血管终点与个体室内空气污染物联系起来。结果表明，hs-CRP、8-OHdG 和纤维蛋白原的增加，以及 HRV 指数的降低，与单污染物和双污染物模型中室内颗粒和总 VOC 水平的增加有关。在窗户打开的访问期间，室内颗粒和总 VOC 对心血管终点的影响最大。在打开空调的访问期间，心血管终点没有观察到明显变化。总之，室内空气污染与炎症、氧化应激、血液凝固和自主神经功能障碍有关。通过关闭窗户和在家中打开空调，可以减少室内空气污染，进而改善心血管健康。
