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Cardiac Autonomic Effects of Acute Exposures to Airborne Particulates in Men and Women
Author(s) -
Howarth Mark S.,
Schlegel Todd T.,
Knapp Charles F.,
Patwardhan Abhijit R.,
Jenkins Roger A.,
Ilgner Ralph H.,
Evans Joyce M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a566-a
Subject(s) - heart rate variability , medicine , heart rate , acute exposure , tobacco smoke , cardiology , approximate entropy , physiology , blood pressure , environmental health , psychology , pattern recognition (psychology) , cognitive psychology
The aim of this research was to investigate cardiac autonomic changes associated with acute exposures to airborne particulates. Methods High fidelity 12‐lead ECG (CardioSoft, Houston, TX) was acquired from 19 (10 male / 9 female) non‐smoking volunteers (age 33.6 +/− 6.6 yrs) during 10 minutes pre‐exposure, exposure and post‐exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), cooking oil fumes, wood smoke and sham (water vapor). To control exposure levels, noise, subject activity, and temperature, all studies were conducted inside an environmental chamber. Results The short‐term fractal scaling exponent (Alpha‐1) and the ratio of low frequency to high frequency Heart Rate Variability (HRV) powers (LF/HF, a purported sympathetic index) were both higher in males (p<0.017 and p<0.05, respectively) whereas approximate entropy (ApEn) and HF/(LF+HF) (a purported parasympathetic index) were both lower in males (p<0.036, and p<0.044, respectively). Compared to pre‐exposure (p<0.0002) and sham exposure (p<0.047), male heart rates were elevated during early ETS post‐exposure. Our data suggest that, in addition to tonic HRV gender differences, cardiac responses to some acute airborne particulates are gender related. Supported by Philip Morris USA .