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Breathing particulate-laden (aka smoggy) air may be hardening your arteries faster than normal, according to research published today in PLOS Medicine. While everyones’ arteries harden gradually with age, a team of researchers led by epidemiologist Sara Adar of the University of Michigan School of Public Health discovered that higher concentrations of fine particulate air pollution were linked to a faster thickening of the inner two layers of the carotid artery. Because the carotid artery feeds blood to the neck, head, and brain, a narrowing or blockage there can trigger strokes. And general atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and heart failure. Past research has demonstrated that the rates of stroke and heart attack are higher in polluted areas, but experts haven’t been able to pinpoint just how polluted air is raising peoples’ risk for heart attack or stroke. This time, Adar’s team, along with Joel Kaufman, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and medicine at the University of Washington, was able to directly measure carotid artery thickness and link it to air pollution data. The study involved 5,362 people between the ages of 45 and 84 living in six different cities that are part of the MESA AIR (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution) research project, led by Joel Kaufman. Each participant underwent two carotid artery ultrasounds three years apart. These measurements were then correlated with data on fine particulate air pollution. While the artery walls of all participants increased by 14 micrometers per year, the arteries of those who were exposed to higher levels of fine particulate air pollution in their homes thickened faster than their neighbors in other parts of the city. Interestingly, the researchers also found the reverse effect to be true: reducing fine particulate air pollution levels slowed down atherosclerosis progression. Carotid artery measurements are considered by experts to be an indicator for arterial plaque and hardening throughout the body. (Source: Forbes.com) |
根據(jù)今日發(fā)表在《公共科學(xué)圖書(shū)館?醫(yī)學(xué)》雜志上的研究，呼吸含大量顆粒物的（霧霾）空氣可能會(huì)讓你的動(dòng)脈硬化速度加快。盡管每個(gè)人的動(dòng)脈都會(huì)隨著年齡增大而逐漸硬化，但密歇根大學(xué)公共衛(wèi)生學(xué)院的流行病學(xué)家薩拉?阿達(dá)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的研究團(tuán)隊(duì)發(fā)現(xiàn)，空氣中的細(xì)微顆粒污染物濃度升高與頸動(dòng)脈內(nèi)膜和中膜增厚加快有關(guān)。 由于頸動(dòng)脈要向頸部、頭部和大腦供血，頸動(dòng)脈變窄或堵塞可能會(huì)引發(fā)中風(fēng)。通常動(dòng)脈硬化是冠心病、心臟病發(fā)作和心力衰竭的主要風(fēng)險(xiǎn)因素。 以往的研究已經(jīng)表明，在受污染地區(qū)中風(fēng)和心臟病發(fā)作的幾率更高，但專家還未能查明空氣污染是如何提高人們心臟病或中風(fēng)發(fā)作的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的。這次阿達(dá)帶領(lǐng)的團(tuán)隊(duì)和華盛頓大學(xué)環(huán)境與職業(yè)健康科學(xué)和醫(yī)學(xué)專業(yè)的教授喬爾?考夫曼聯(lián)手合作，已經(jīng)能夠直接測(cè)量頸動(dòng)脈厚度，并將其和空氣污染數(shù)據(jù)聯(lián)系起來(lái)。 喬爾?考夫曼領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的這一動(dòng)脈硬化和空氣污染多種族研究項(xiàng)目調(diào)查了居住在6個(gè)不同城市、年齡在45歲到84歲之間的5362個(gè)人。每個(gè)參與者隔三年都要做一次頸動(dòng)脈超聲波檢查。研究人員把這些測(cè)量結(jié)果和細(xì)顆粒物空氣污染的數(shù)據(jù)聯(lián)系起來(lái)。 盡管所有參與者的動(dòng)脈壁每年都會(huì)增厚14微米，但那些家周邊空氣中細(xì)顆粒污染物水平更高的人動(dòng)脈壁比住在同城其他地區(qū)的人增厚速度更快。 有趣的是，研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn)反之亦然：降低空氣中的細(xì)顆粒污染物水平會(huì)減慢動(dòng)脈硬化的速度。專家認(rèn)為頸動(dòng)脈的測(cè)量數(shù)據(jù)是動(dòng)脈斑塊和周身硬化的指示標(biāo)志。 相關(guān)閱讀 覺(jué)得身體不適？你可能得了“圣誕樹(shù)綜合癥” （中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 陳丹妮） |
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Vocabulary: aka: 又叫做，亦稱（also known as） carotid artery: 頸動(dòng)脈 atherosclerosis: 動(dòng)脈粥樣硬化；動(dòng)脈硬化 pinpoint: 查明；精確地找到 arterial plaque: 動(dòng)脈斑塊 |
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