Left ventricular function in relation to chronic residential air pollution in a general population

Abstract

for longitudinal strain rate. Mitral E and a' peak velocities were lower ( p ≤ 0.021) with higher black carbon, PM2.5 and PM10 with association sizes ranging from -1.727 to -1.947 cm/s and from -0.175 to -0.235 cm/s, respectively. In the geographic analysis, the systolic longitudinal strain sided with gradients in air pollution. The path analysis identified systemic inflammation as a possible mediator of associations with black carbon. Conclusions Long-term low-level air pollution is associated with subclinical impairment of left ventricular performance and might be a risk factor for heart failure.