Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Occupational exposure to particles and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease—during work and after vacation

Grahn, Karin ; Broberg, Karin LU orcid ; Gustavsson, Per ; Ljungman, Petter ; Lindfors, Petra ; Sjöström, Mattias ; Wiebert, Pernilla and Selander, Jenny (2022) In International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 95(7). p.1537-1548
Abstract

Objective: Ambient particle matter is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about associations between particles in occupational settings and risk of CVD. We investigated associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers of CVD, and potential recovery effects after vacation. Methods: Personal dust exposure measurements (respirable silica, respirable dust < 4 µm, and particles of 0.1–10 µm (PM 0.1–10) were conducted once, and biological sampling were performed twice on non-smoking, male construction workers in Stockholm county, Sweden; during work and immediately after summer vacation. Linear regressions with adjustments for confounders and covariates were performed evaluating... (More)

Objective: Ambient particle matter is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about associations between particles in occupational settings and risk of CVD. We investigated associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers of CVD, and potential recovery effects after vacation. Methods: Personal dust exposure measurements (respirable silica, respirable dust < 4 µm, and particles of 0.1–10 µm (PM 0.1–10) were conducted once, and biological sampling were performed twice on non-smoking, male construction workers in Stockholm county, Sweden; during work and immediately after summer vacation. Linear regressions with adjustments for confounders and covariates were performed evaluating associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers. Paired t tests were performed evaluating changes before and after vacation. Results: Sixty-five workers participated. Homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher with increasing concentrations (mg/m3) of respirable silica, respirable dust, and PM 0.1–10, and pulse rate with higher levels of respirable dust and dust of PM 0.1–10. Homocysteine levels were also positively correlated to number of years of dust exposure, as were low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. A clear recovery effect was present for LDL after vacation, but not for homocysteine. Conclusions: Occupational dust exposure was associated with some CVD risk markers, even at mean exposure concentrations below the Swedish occupational exposure limits for respirable silica and respirable dust, respectively. Vacation resulted in recovery for some risk markers. However, the change of the homocysteine and LDL levels suggest a long-term effect. Reduction of occupational exposure to dust may decrease the risk of CVD among exposed workers.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cardiovascular risk markers, Construction industry, Longitudinal measures, Occupational exposure, Particles, Respirable silica
in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
volume
95
issue
7
pages
12 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85134253159
  • pmid:35819531
ISSN
0340-0131
DOI
10.1007/s00420-022-01900-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f2d1656a-02b2-404a-a9c3-bf38b0616e31
date added to LUP
2022-10-04 08:37:47
date last changed
2024-04-18 13:07:16
@article{f2d1656a-02b2-404a-a9c3-bf38b0616e31,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: Ambient particle matter is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about associations between particles in occupational settings and risk of CVD. We investigated associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers of CVD, and potential recovery effects after vacation. Methods: Personal dust exposure measurements (respirable silica, respirable dust &lt; 4 µm, and particles of 0.1–10 µm (PM 0.1–10) were conducted once, and biological sampling were performed twice on non-smoking, male construction workers in Stockholm county, Sweden; during work and immediately after summer vacation. Linear regressions with adjustments for confounders and covariates were performed evaluating associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers. Paired t tests were performed evaluating changes before and after vacation. Results: Sixty-five workers participated. Homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher with increasing concentrations (mg/m<sup>3</sup>) of respirable silica, respirable dust, and PM 0.1–10, and pulse rate with higher levels of respirable dust and dust of PM 0.1–10. Homocysteine levels were also positively correlated to number of years of dust exposure, as were low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. A clear recovery effect was present for LDL after vacation, but not for homocysteine. Conclusions: Occupational dust exposure was associated with some CVD risk markers, even at mean exposure concentrations below the Swedish occupational exposure limits for respirable silica and respirable dust, respectively. Vacation resulted in recovery for some risk markers. However, the change of the homocysteine and LDL levels suggest a long-term effect. Reduction of occupational exposure to dust may decrease the risk of CVD among exposed workers.</p>}},
  author       = {{Grahn, Karin and Broberg, Karin and Gustavsson, Per and Ljungman, Petter and Lindfors, Petra and Sjöström, Mattias and Wiebert, Pernilla and Selander, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{0340-0131}},
  keywords     = {{Cardiovascular risk markers; Construction industry; Longitudinal measures; Occupational exposure; Particles; Respirable silica}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1537--1548}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health}},
  title        = {{Occupational exposure to particles and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease—during work and after vacation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01900-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00420-022-01900-5}},
  volume       = {{95}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}