Indoor Particles Affect Vascular Function in the Aged: An Air Filtration-based Intervention Study.

Contributed by Dr Karabi Dutta
21 February 2008

This study reports that PM2.5 or less that get into the bloodstream affected the performance of blood vessels.But when the air quality was improved using filters, there was improvement in the function of the blood vessels.

''Indoor Particles Affect Vascular Function in the Aged: An Air Filtration-based Intervention Study." Elvira Vaclavik Bräuner, Lykke Forchhammer, Peter Møller, Lars Barregard, Lars Gunnarsen, Alireza Afshari, Peter Wåhlin, Marianne Glasius, Lars Ove Dragsted, Samar Basu, Ole Raaschou-Nielsen, and Steffen Loft. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 177. pp. 419-425, (2008).

The authors of this paper conducted a study and investigated the effect of air particles on three markers of blood vessel health:

  • Microvascular function (MVF),
  • Oxidative stress, and
  • Inflammation.
The result of this study showed that: Particulate Matter of size 2.5 or less had significant harmful effect on the micro vascular function (MVF). But reduction of exposure to particulate matter of size 2.5 or less by filtration of recirculated indoor air for only 48 hours improved MVF in healthy elderly citizens.

There is also endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial cells line the walls of all blood vessels and are responsible for controlling blood flow, reducing clotting, keeping arteries clear, reducing swelling and forming new blood vessels.So endothelial dysfunction may even lead to heart attacks.

To read the abstract click here

To read the full paper click here