Short-term effects of particle gamma radiation activities on pulmonary function in COPD patients.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:It is not known whether environmental gamma radiation measured in US cities has detectable adverse health effects. We assessed whether short-term exposure to gamma radiation emitted from ambient air particles [gamma particle activity (PR?)] is associated with reduced pulmonary function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. OBJECTIVE:We hypothesize that the inhalation of gamma radiation emitted from ambient air particles may be associated with reduced pulmonary function in individuals with COPD. METHODS:In 125 patients with COPD from Eastern Massachusetts who had up to 4 seasonal one-week assessments of particulate matter ?2.5??m (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and sulfur followed by spirometry. The US EPA continuously monitors ambient gamma (?) radiation including ? released from radionuclides attached to particulate matter that is recorded as 9 ?-energy spectra classes (i?=?3-9) in counts per minute (CPM?) in the Boston area (USA). We analyzed the associations between ambient and indoor PR?i (up to one week) and pre and post-bronchodilator (BD) forced expiratory volume in 1?s (FEV1) and with forced vital capacity (FVC) using mixed-effects regression models. We estimated indoor PR?i using the ratio of the indoor-to-outdoor sulfur in PM2.5 as a proxy for infiltration of ambient radionuclide-associated particles. RESULTS:Overall, exposures to ambient and indoor PR?i were associated with a similar decrease in pre- and post-BD FEV1 and FVC. For example, ambient PR?3 exposure averaged from the day of pulmonary function testing through the previous 3 days [IQR of 55.1?counts per minute (CPM?)] was associated with a decrease in pre-BD FEV1 of 21.0?ml (95%CI: -38.5 to -3.0?ml; p?
SUBMITTER: Vieira CLZ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6609300 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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