Table 1.
Human studies linking exposure to air pollution with atherosclerosis
| Study | Air pollutant | Evaluation of atherosclerosis | Major findings | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunzli et al. 2005 | PM2.5-Ozone | CIMT | 5.9% increased in CIMT per every 10 μg PM2.5/m3 | (Kunzli et al. 2005) |
| Hoffmann et al. 2007 | PM2.5-Distance to major road | CACS | Increased CAC scores with shorter distances to a major road | (Hoffmann et al. 2007) |
| Diez Roux et al. 2008 | PM10 -PM2.5 | CIMT CACS BAI | 1–3% increase in CIMT per every increase in 21 and 12.5 μg/m3 of PM10 and PM2.5 respectively | (Diez Roux et al. 2008) |
| Allen et al. 2009 | PM2.5-distance to major road | Aortic calcification | 6% increase in the risk of aortic calcification with a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 | (Allen et al. 2009) |
| Hoffman et al. 2009 | PM2.5-distance to major road | BAI | Decreased BAI in subjects living within 50 meters from a major road, especially women | (Hoffman et al. 2009) |
| Kunzli et al. 2010 | PM2.5-distance to highway or major road | CIMT | Greater annual progression of CIMT among individuals living <100 m from a highway | (Kunzli et al. 2010) |
Studies are listed in chronological order based on the year of publication. CIMT carotid intima-media thickness, CACS coronary artery calcium score, BAI brachial artery index. Modified from Araujo (2011)