A significant research project indicates a correlation between prolonged exposure to air pollution and elevated risks of venous blood clots. These clots, if not treated, may obstruct blood circulation, causing severe health issues, potentially even fatalities.
The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), observed 6,651 adults across the United States over an average span of 17 years, from 2000 to 2018. Participants resided in or near six major urban areas: New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
During the study, 248 participants, accounting for 3.7% of the sample, developed deep vein blood clots needing hospitalization. The probability of this condition was linked to a 39% to more than two-fold increased risk, based on chronic exposure to three specific air pollutants.
Deep vein blood clots, collectively termed venous thromboembolism (VTE), include both deep vein thrombosis, a condition characterized by blood clot formation in the deep veins of the legs, arms, or internal organs, and pulmonary embolism, where the clot travels to the lungs.
Prolonged inhalation of polluted air has been recognized to instigate inflammation and promote clotting, long-associated with heart and lung diseases. This comprehensive study reinforces prior assertions by establishing a defined link between VTE and three airborne pollutants in the United States.
Notably, exposure to minute particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or less, sourced from smoke, motor exhaust, and industrial emissions, was noted. Participants exposed to higher concentrations of these pollutants exhibited a 39% higher risk for VTE compared to those with minimal exposure. Exposure to nitrogen oxides, primarily from traffic emissions, showed a risk increase ranging from 121% to 174%.
Researchers examined the relationship between VTE hospitalizations and various air pollution metrics gathered through detailed bi-weekly community monitoring and samples from participants’ residences. Top exposure levels (top 75%) were compared against minimal exposure (bottom 25%), controlling for variables like age, smoking habits, and pre-existing health conditions.
Annually, VTE affects nearly 900,000 Americans, often post-surgical. Other risk factors include aging, prolonged inactivity, cardiovascular conditions, pregnancy, and genetic predispositions.
This investigation is part of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), funded by contracts and grants from the NHLBI, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The NHLBI spearheads global research initiatives to combat heart, lung, and blood diseases and sleep disorders, enhancing scientific understanding, promoting public health, and saving lives.
NIH, the preeminent US medical research body, encompasses 27 Institutes and Centers, operating under the US Department of Health and Human Services. It spearheads federal medical research efforts, deciphering the causes and treatments for diseases, both common and rare.