Woodsmoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Function

Cardiovascular Effects of Experimental Exposure to Woodsmoke in Man

Air pollution is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Wood smoke is a common air in many parts of the world and previous studies indicate that wood smoke induce oxidative stress in the respiratory tract. It is not determined how different types of biomass combustion affect human health. In this study the investigators plan to investigate how inhalation of wood smoke and pellets smoke affect respiratory and cardiovascular health.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Systemic Inflammation; Respiratory Inflammation
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Bronchoscopy

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Sweden
  • Umeå, Sweden
    • Umea University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy volunteers

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of regular medication except the oral contraceptive pill
• Current smokers
• Significant occupation exposure to air pollution
• Intercurrent illness

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: CROSSOVER
• Masking: QUADRUPLE

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Filtered air exposure; 3 hour exposure to filtered air with intermittent exercise	Other: Bronchoscopy; 24 hours after exposure, a bronchoscopy will be performed to allow analysis of cells and inflammatory markers in bronchial wash, bronchioalveolar lavage and lung biopsies.
EXPERIMENTAL: Wood smoke exposure; 3 hour exposure to dilute wood smoke generated from incomplete combustion in a wood burning stove at approximately 300 mcg/m3	Other: Bronchoscopy; 24 hours after exposure, a bronchoscopy will be performed to allow analysis of cells and inflammatory markers in bronchial wash, bronchioalveolar lavage and lung biopsies.
EXPERIMENTAL: Wood pellet smoke emission; 3 hour exposure to dilute wood smoke generated from wood pellets during incomplete combustion during intermittent exercise at approximately 300 mcg/m3	Other: Bronchoscopy; 24 hours after exposure, a bronchoscopy will be performed to allow analysis of cells and inflammatory markers in bronchial wash, bronchioalveolar lavage and lung biopsies.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Respiratory inflammation	Bronchoscopy will be performed, and samples collected by bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchial biopsy. Samples will be analysed for cell counts, histology and inflammatory markers.	24 hours after exposure to air or woodsmoke

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Central arterial stiffness	Central arterial stiffness will be measured at baseline and for the 1 hour following the exposure using the SphygmoCor and Vicorder devices	Baseline and for 1 hour after exposure
Heart rate variability	Continuous electrocardiograms will be recorded using a holter monitor to determine heart rate variability	24 hours after the exposure
Systemic inflammation	Blood samples will be taken at intervals following the exposure to woodsmoke to measure circulating inflammatory markers	24 hours after the exposure
Lung function	Lung function will be assessed using spirometry before and after each exposure	Baseline and 24hrs after exposure

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Edinburgh
• Collaborators: Umeå University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Muala A, Rankin G, Sehlstedt M, Unosson J, Bosson JA, Behndig A, Pourazar J, Nystrom R, Pettersson E, Bergvall C, Westerholm R, Jalava PI, Happo MS, Uski O, Hirvonen MR, Kelly FJ, Mudway IS, Blomberg A, Boman C, Sandstrom T. Acute exposure to wood smoke from incomplete combustion--indications of cytotoxicity. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2015 Oct 29;12:33. doi: 10.1186/s12989-015-0111-7.
• Langrish JP, Watts SJ, Hunter AJ, Shah AS, Bosson JA, Unosson J, Barath S, Lundback M, Cassee FR, Donaldson K, Sandstrom T, Blomberg A, Newby DE, Mills NL. Controlled exposures to air pollutants and risk of cardiac arrhythmia. Environ Health Perspect. 2014 Jul;122(7):747-53. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1307337. Epub 2014 Mar 25.
• Unosson J, Blomberg A, Sandstrom T, Muala A, Boman C, Nystrom R, Westerholm R, Mills NL, Newby DE, Langrish JP, Bosson JA. Exposure to wood smoke increases arterial stiffness and decreases heart rate variability in humans. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2013 Jun 6;10:20. doi: 10.1186/1743-8977-10-20.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): May 1, 2012
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): May 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 6, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 7, 2011
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): December 8, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): August 6, 2012
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 3, 2012
• Last Verified: August 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: lung function; inflammation; arterial stiffness; heart rate variability; Wood smoke; Respiratory and systemic inflammation following exposure to woodsmoke in healthy volunteers
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Inflammation
• Other Study ID Numbers: WOODSMOKE II