Triggering of ST-elevation myocardial infarction by ultrafine particles in New York: Changes following Tier 3 vehicle introduction.

BACKGROUND: Previously, we found increased rates of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) associated with increased ultrafine particle (UFP; <100 nm) concentrations in the previous few hours in Rochester, New York. Relative rates were higher after air quality policies and a recession reduced pollutant concentrations (2014-2016 versus 2005-2013), suggesting PM composition had changed and the same PM mass concentration had become more toxic. Tier 3 light duty vehicles, which should produce less primary organic aerosols and oxidizable gaseous compounds, likely making PM less toxic, were introduced in 2017. Thus, we hypothesized we would observe a lower relative STEMI rate in 2017-2019 than 2014-2016. METHODS: Using STEMI events treated at the University of Rochester Medical Center (2014-2019), UFP and other pollutants measured in Rochester, a case-crossover design, and conditional logistic regression models, we estimated the rate of STEMI associated with increased UFP and other pollutants in the previous hours and days in the 2014-2016 and 2017-2019 periods. RESULTS: An increased rate of STEMI was associated with each 3111 particles/cm3 increase in UFP concentration in the previous hour in 2014-2016 (lag hour 0: OR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.06, 1.39), but not in 2017-2019 (OR = 0.94; 95% CI = 0.80, 1.10). There were similar patterns for black carbon, UFP11-50nm, and UFP51-100nm. In contrast, increased rates of STEMI were associated with each 0.6 ppb increase in SO2 concentration in the previous 120 h in both periods (2014-2016: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.55; 2017-2019: OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.87, 1.68). CONCLUSIONS: Greater rates of STEMI were associated with short term increases in concentrations of UFP and other motor vehicle related pollutants before Tier 3 introduction (2014-2016), but not afterwards (2017-2019). This change may be due to changes in PM composition after Tier 3 introduction, as well as to increased exposure misclassification and greater underestimation of effects from 2017 to 2019.

Comparison of the rate of healthcare encounters for influenza from source-specific PM2.5 before and after tier 3 vehicle standards in New York state.

BACKGROUND: Influenza healthcare encounters in adults associated with specific sources of PM2.5 is an area of active research. OBJECTIVE: Following 2017 legislation requiring reductions in emissions from light-duty vehicles, we hypothesized a reduced rate of influenza healthcare encounters would be associated with concentrations of PM2.5 from traffic sources in the early implementation period of this regulation (2017-2019). METHODS: We used the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) to study adult patients hospitalized (N = 5328) or treated in the emergency department (N = 18,247) for influenza in New York State. Using a modified case-crossover design, we estimated the excess rate (ER) of influenza hospitalizations and emergency department visits associated with interquartile range increases in source-specific PM2.5 concentrations (e.g., spark-ignition emissions [GAS], biomass burning [BB], diesel [DIE]) in lag day(s) 0, 0-3 and 0-6. We then evaluated whether ERs differed after Tier 3 implementation (2017-2019) compared to the period prior to implementation (2014-2016). RESULTS: Each interquartile range increase in DIE in lag days 0-6 was associated with a 21.3% increased rate of influenza hospitalization (95% CI: 6.9, 37.6) in the 2014-2016 period, and a 6.3% decreased rate (95% CI: -12.7, 0.5) in the 2017-2019 period. The GAS/influenza excess rates were larger in the 2017-2019 period than the 2014-2016 period for emergency department visits. We also observed a larger ER associated with increased BB in the 2017-2019 period compared to the 2014-2016 period. IMPACT STATEMENT: We present an accountability study on the impact of the early implementation period of the Tier 3 vehicle emission standards on the association between specific sources of PM2.5 air pollution on influenza healthcare encounters in New York State. We found that the association between gasoline emissions and influenza healthcare encounters did not lessen in magnitude between periods, possibly because the emissions standards were not yet fully implemented. The reduction in the rates of influenza healthcare encounters associated with diesel emissions may be reflective of past policies to reduce the toxicity of diesel emissions. Accountability studies can help policy makers and environmental scientists better understand the timing of pollution changes and associated health effects.

Prenatal maternal immune activation predicts observed fearfulness in infancy.

Fear reactivity is an early emerging temperament trait that predicts longer term behavioral and health outcomes. The current analysis tests the hypothesis, an extension of prior research on maternal immune activation (MIA), that the prenatal maternal immune system is a reliable predictor of observed fear reactivity in infancy. The analysis is based on a prospective longitudinal cohort study that collected data from the first trimester and conducted observational assessments of temperament at approximately 12 months of age (n = 281 infants). MIA was assessed from immune biomarkers measured in maternal blood at each trimester; infant temperament was assessed using the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery assessment at 12 months; covariates included family and sociodemographic factors. Patterns of inflammatory markers across gestation reliably predicted observed temperament: elevated prenatal MIA was associated with high fear reactivity to novel stimuli. The findings provide novel evidence of prenatal origins of fear reactivity and suggest developmental mechanisms that may underlie early emerging individual differences in child temperament. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A case-crossover study of ST-elevation myocardial infarction and organic carbon and source-specific PM2.5 concentrations in Monroe County, New York.

Background: Previous work reported increased rates of cardiovascular hospitalizations associated with increased source-specific PM2.5 concentrations in New York State, despite decreased PM2.5 concentrations. We also found increased rates of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) associated with short-term increases in concentrations of ultrafine particles and other traffic-related pollutants in the 2014-2016 period, but not during 2017-2019 in Rochester. Changes in PM2.5 composition and sources resulting from air quality policies (e.g., Tier 3 light-duty vehicles) may explain the differences. Thus, this study aimed to estimate whether rates of STEMI were associated with organic carbon and source-specific PM2.5 concentrations. Methods: Using STEMI patients treated at the University of Rochester Medical Center, compositional and source-apportioned PM2.5 concentrations measured in Rochester, a time-stratified case-crossover design, and conditional logistic regression models, we estimated the rate of STEMI associated with increases in mean primary organic carbon (POC), secondary organic carbon (SOC), and source-specific PM2.5 concentrations on lag days 0, 0-3, and 0-6 during 2014-2019. Results: The associations of an increased rate of STEMI with interquartile range (IQR) increases in spark-ignition emissions (GAS) and diesel (DIE) concentrations in the previous few days were not found from 2014 to 2019. However, IQR increases in GAS concentrations were associated with an increased rate of STEMI on the same day in the 2014-2016 period (Rate ratio [RR] = 1.69; 95% CI = 0.98, 2.94; 1.73 µg/m3). In addition, each IQR increase in mean SOC concentration in the previous 6 days was associated with an increased rate of STEMI, despite imprecision (RR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.89, 1.45; 0.42 µg/m3). Conclusion: Increased SOC concentrations may be associated with increased rates of STEMI, while there seems to be a declining trend in adverse effects of GAS on triggering of STEMI. These changes could be attributed to changes in PM2.5 composition and sources following the Tier 3 vehicle introduction.