Triggering of Cardiovascular Hospital Admissions by Source Specific Fine Particle Concentrations in Urban Centers of New York State

Background: Previous work reported increased rates of acute cardiovascular hospitalizations associated with increased PM concentrations in the previous few days across urban centers in New York State from 2005 to 2016. These relative rates were higher after air quality policies and economic changes resulted in decreased PM concentrations and changes in PM composition (e.g. increased secondary organic carbon), compared to before and during these changes. Changes in PM composition and sources may explain this difference.

Objectives: To estimate the rate of acute cardiovascular hospitalizations associated with increases in source specific PM concentrations.

Methods: Using source apportioned PM concentrations at the same NYS urban sites, a time-stratified case-crossover design, and conditional logistic regression models adjusting for ambient temperature and relative humidity, we estimated the rate of these acute cardiovascular hospitalizations associated with increases in mean source specific PM concentrations in the previous 1, 4, and 7 days.

Results: Interquartile range (IQR) increases in spark-ignition emissions (GAS) concentrations were associated with increased excess rates of cardiac arrhythmia hospitalizations (2.3%; 95% CI = 0.4%, 4.2%; IQR = 2.56 μg/m) and ischemic stroke hospitalizations (3.7%; 95% CI = 1.1%, 6.4%; 2. 73 μg/m) over the next day. IQR increases in diesel (DIE) concentrations were associated with increased rates of congestive heart failure hospitalizations (0.7%; 95% CI = 0.2% 1.3%; 0.51 μg/m) and ischemic heart disease hospitalizations (0.8%; 95% CI = 0.3%, 1.3%; 0.60 μg/m) over the next day, as hypothesized. However, secondary sulfate PM (SS) was not. Increased acute cardiovascular hospitalization rates were also associated with IQR increases in concentrations of road dust (RD), residual oil (RO), and secondary nitrate (SN) over the previous 1, 4, and 7 days, but not other sources.

Conclusions: These findings suggest a role of several sources of PM in New York State (i.e. traffic emissions, non-traffic emissions such as brake and tire wear, residual oil, and nitrate that may also reflect traffic emissions) in the triggering of acute cardiovascular events.