Ambient Air Pollution and Oxygen Saturation

• Published in: American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine Vol. 170; no. 4; pp. 383 - 387
• Main Authors: DeMeo, Dawn L, Zanobetti, Antonella, Litonjua, Augusto A, Coull, Brent A, Schwartz, Joel, Gold, Diane R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Am Thoracic Soc 15.08.2004; American Lung Association; American Thoracic Society
• Subjects: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - therapeutic use; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - chemistry; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Gas Analysis; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Blood Pressure - physiology; Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data; Exercise - physiology; Female; Heart Rate - drug effects; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Oxygen - blood; Particle Size; Rest - physiology; Oxygen; Intensive care; Saturation; respiratory physiology; air pollution; Epidemiology; Resuscitation
• ISSN: 1073-449X; 1535-4970
• DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200402-244OC

We investigated the association between fine particulate air pollution and oxygen saturation as measured with a peripheral oxygen saturation monitor during a 12-week repeated-measures study of 28 older Boston residents. Oxygen saturation and air pollution particulates with a mean diameter less than or equal to 2.5 microm were measured continuously during a protocol of rest, standing, exercise, postexercise rest, and 20 cycles of slow, paced breathing. In fixed-effect models, mean pollution concentration was associated with reduced oxygen saturation during the baseline rest period (6 hours: mean, -0.173%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.345 to -0.001), postexercise (6 hours: mean, -0.173%; 95% CI, -0.332 to -0.014), with a trend toward decrease during postexercise paced breathing (6 hours: mean, -0.142%; 95% CI, -0.292 to 0.007) but not during exercise. Participants taking beta-blockers had a greater pollution-related decrease in oxygen saturation at rest (6 hours: mean, -0.769%; 95% CI, -1.210 to -0.327) (interaction for particulates with a mean diameter less than or equal to 2.5 microm by beta-blocker, p < 0.0005) than did those not taking beta-blockers (p > 0.25). The reduction in oxygen saturation associated with air pollution may result from subtle particulate-related pulmonary vascular and/or inflammatory changes. Further investigation may contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms through which particulates may increase respiratory and cardiac morbidity among vulnerable populations.