A community study of the effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites on heart rate variability based on the Framingham risk score

Objectives To investigate the effects of the urinary metabolite profiles of background exposure to the atmospheric pollutants polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and Framingham risk score (FRS), which assesses an individual9s cardiovascular disease risk, on heart rate variability (HRV). Methods The study conducted from April to May 2011 in Wuhan, China, included 1978 adult residents with completed questionnaires, physical examinations, blood and urine samples, and 5-min HRV indices (including SD of all normal to normal intervals (SDNN), root mean square successive difference (rMSSD), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and their ratio (LF/HF), and total power) obtained from 3-channel Holter monitor. 12 urinary PAH metabolites were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. FRS was calculated by age, sex, lipid profiles, blood pressure, diabetes and smoking status. Linear regression models were constructed after adjusting for potential confounders. Results Elevated total concentration of hydroxynaphthalene (ΣOHNa) was significantly associated, in a dose–responsive manner, with decreased SDNN and LF/HF (p trend =0.014 and 0.007, respectively); elevated total concentration of hydroxyfluorene (ΣOHFlu) was significantly associated with reduced SDNN, LF and LF/HF (p trend =0.027, 0.003, and trend =0.005 and trend Conclusions Environmental PAH exposure may differentially affect HRV based on individual coronary risk profiles.