Acute Impact of Fine Particulate Air Pollution on Cardiac Arrhythmias in a Population-Based Sample of Adolescents: The Penn State Child Cohort

BACKGROUND: Fine particulate (fine particles with aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 μm [PM_2.5 ]) exposure has been associated with a risk of cardiac arrhythmias in adults. However, the association between PM_2.5 exposure and cardiac arrhythmias in adolescents remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: To investigate the association and time course between PM_2.5 exposure with cardiac arrhythmias in adolescents, we analyzed the data collected from 322 adolescents who participated in the PSCC (Penn State Child Cohort) follow-up examination. We obtained individual-level 24-hour PM_2.5 concentrations with a nephelometer. Concurrent with the PM_2.5 measure, we obtained 24-hour ECG data using a Holter monitor, from which cardiac arrhythmias, including premature atrial contractions and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), were identified. PM_2.5 concentration and numbers of premature atrial contractions/PVCs were summarized into 30-minute-based segments. Polynomial distributed lag models within a framework of a negative binomial model were used to assess the effect of PM_2.5 concentration on numbers of premature atrial contractions and PVCs. PM_2.5 exposure was associated with an acute increase in number of PVCs. Specifically, a 10 μg/ m³ increase in PM_2.5 concentration was associated with a 2% (95% CI, 0.4%– 3.3%) increase in PVC counts 0.5 to 1.0, 1.0 to 1.5, and 1.5 to 2.0 hours after the exposure. Cumulatively, a 10 μg/m³ increment in PM_2.5 was associated with a 5% (95% CI, 1%–10%) increase in PVC counts within 2 hours after exposure. PM_2.5 concentration was not associated with premature atrial contraction. CONCLUSIONS: PM_2.5 exposure was associated with an acute increased number of ventricular arrhythmias in a population-based sample of adolescents. The time course of the effect of PM_2.5 on ventricular arrhythmia is within 2 hours after exposure.