Researchers from the Queen Mary University of London in the UK looked at data from around 4,000 participants in the UK where the participants provided a range of personal information, including their lifestyles, health record and details on where they have lived. The study eventually found that exposure to even a little air pollution altered the heart structure of participants.
Participants also had blood tests, health scans, and heart MRI s to constantly measure the size, weight and function of their hearts at fixed times. The study, published in the journal Circulation, found a clear association between those who lived near loud, busy roads, and were exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or PM2.5 - small particles of air pollution - and the development of larger right and left ventricles in the heart. Higher exposures to the pollutants were linked to more significant changes in the structure of the heart.
"Although our study was observational and hasn't yet shown a causal link, we saw significant changes in the heart, even at relatively low levels of air pollution exposure," said Nay Aung, who led the data analysis from Queen Mary. "Our future studies will include data from those living in inner cities like Central Manchester and London, using more in-depth measurements of heart function, and we would expect the findings to be even more pronounced and clinically important," Aung said. "Air pollution should be seen as a modifiable risk factor. Doctors and the general public all need to be aware of their exposure when they think about their heart health, just like they think about their blood pressure, their cholesterol and their weight," he concluded.
