Periprocedural, early, and long-term risks of pacemaker implantation after atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia ablation: a French nationwide cohort.

AIMS: Pacemaker implantation (PI) after atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT) ablation is a dreadful complication. We aimed to assess periprocedural, early, and late risks for PI. METHODS AND RESULTS: All 27 022 patients who underwent latest AVNRT ablation in France from 2009 to 2017, were identified in the nationwide medicalization database. A control group of 305 152 patients hospitalized for arm, leg, or skin injuries with no history of AVNRT or supraventricular tachycardia were selected. After propensity score matching, both groups had mean age of 53 ± 18 years and were predominantly female (64%). During this 9-year period, 822 of 27 022 (3.0%) AVNRT patients underwent PI, with significant higher risk in propensity-matched AVNRT patients compared to propensity-matched controls [2.9% vs. 0.9%; hazard ratio 3.4 (2.9-3.9), P < 0.0001]. This excess risk was significant during all follow-up, including periprocedural (1st month), early (1-6 months), and late (>6 months) risk periods. Annualized late risk per 100 AVNRT patients was 0.2%. In comparison to controls, excess risk was 0.2% in <30-year-old AVNRT patients; 0.7% in 30-50-year-old; 1.1% in 50-70-year-old and 6.5% over 70-year-olds. Risk for PI was also significantly different according to three procedural factors: centres, experience, and ablation date, with a 30% decrease since 2015. CONCLUSION: Periprocedural, early, and late risks for PI were higher after AVNRT ablation compared to propensity-matched controls. Longer follow-up is needed as the excess risk seems to persist late after AVNRT ablation.

Residential exposure to outdoor air pollution and adult lung function, with focus on small airway obstruction.

Although a growing body of evidence suggests that chronic exposure to outdoor air pollution is linked to a decline in lung function, data on flow at low lung volumes that may be more specific of small airway obstruction are still scarce. We aimed to study the associations between residential exposure to air pollution and lung function, with specific focus on small airways obstruction. We assessed 2995 French participants (aged between 40 and 65) in the ELISABET cross-sectional survey. Residential exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter with a diameter <10 µm (PM10) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) were assessed. The spirometric parameters were forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75) and at 75% of FVC (FEF75). Coefficients in linear regression models were expressed as the z-score [95% confidence interval] for an increment of 5 µg/m3 in NO2 and 2 µg/m3 in PM10 and SO2. NO2 was associated with significantly lower values of FEV1 (-0.10 [-0.15;-0.05]), FVC (-0.06 [-0.11;-0.02]), FEV1/FVC (-0.07 [-0.11;-0.03]), FEF25-75 (-0.09 [-0.14;-0.05]) and FEF75 (-0.08 [-0.12;-0.04]). PM10 was associated with significantly lower values of FEV1 (-0.10 [-0.15;-0.04]), FVC (-0.06 [-0.11;-0.01]), FEV1/FVC (-0.06 [‒0.11;-0.01]), FEF25-75 (-0.08 [-0.13;-0.03]) and FEF75 (-0.08 [-0.12;-0.04]). SO2 was associated with significantly lower values of FEV1 (-0.09 [-0.16;-0.02]), FEV1/FVC (-0.07 [-0.13;-0.01]), FEF25-75 (-0.09 [-0.15;-0.02]) and FEF75 (-0.08 [-0.14;-0.03]) but not FVC (-0.05 [-0.11; 0.009]). Even though spatial variations in pollutant levels were low, residential exposure to outdoor air pollution was associated with lower lung function, including lower FEF25-75 and FEF75 suggesting small airway obstruction.

Associations between long-term exposure to air pollution, glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose and diabetes mellitus in northern France.

INTRODUCTION: A growing body of evidence suggests that long-term exposure to air pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) is associated with the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Serum glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels are biomarkers of glucose homeostasis. Data on the association between glucose homeostasis biomarkers and air pollution are scarce. HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentrations have been linked to PM and NO2 exposure in Taiwan, where mean pollution levels are 3 to 7 times higher than the guideline maximum annual mean values of 40 µg/m3 (for NO2) and 20 µg/m3 (for PM10) set by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, this association is not consistently reported at lower levels of pollution. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships between long-term exposure to air pollution at the place of residence, diabetes biomarkers, and prevalent diabetes in two cities with relatively low level of pollution. METHODS: Data were recorded for 2895 adults (aged 40 to 65) having participated in the 2011-2013 ELISABET cross-sectional survey of the Lille and Dunkirk urban areas in northern France. Using multiple logistic and generalized linear regression models, we analyzed the associations between individual exposure to pollution on one hand and HbA1c, FBG and prevalent diabetes mellitus (DM) on the other. An atmospheric dispersion modelling system was used to assess annual exposure at the place of residence to coarse particulate matter (PM10), NO2, and sulfur dioxide (SO2). RESULTS: The median pollutant levels were 21.96 µg/m3 for NO2, 26.75 µg/m3 for PM10, and 3.07 µg/m3 for SO2. A 2 µg/m3 increment in PM10 was associated with an HbA1c increment [95% confidence interval] of 0.044% [0.021; 0.067]. This association was still statistically significant after adjustment for the neighborhood's characteristics. A 5 µg/m3 increment in NO2 was associated with an HbA1c increment of 0.031% [0.010; 0.053]. Associations between DM or FBG and air pollution did not achieve statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Our study of a middle-aged, urban population evidenced an association between elevated HbA1c levels and long-term exposure to PM10 and NO2 pollution levels that were relatively low but close to the WHO's guideline maximum values.