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Modification of the association between ambient air pollution and lung function by frailty status among older adults in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

TitleModification of the association between ambient air pollution and lung function by frailty status among older adults in the Cardiovascular Health Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsEckel, SP, Louis, TA, Chaves, PHM, Fried, LP, Margolis, AHelene G
JournalAm J Epidemiol
Volume176
Issue3
Pagination214-23
Date Published2012 Aug 01
ISSN1476-6256
KeywordsAged, Air Pollution, Cardiovascular Diseases, Female, Forced Expiratory Volume, Frail Elderly, Geriatric Assessment, Humans, Male, Prospective Studies, Respiratory Function Tests, Sex Factors, Smoking, Time Factors, United States, Vital Capacity
Abstract<p>The susceptibility of older adults to the health effects of air pollution is well-recognized. Advanced age may act as a partial surrogate for conditions associated with aging. The authors investigated whether gerontologic frailty (a clinical health status metric) modified the association between ambient level of ozone or particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm and lung function in 3,382 older adults using 7 years of follow-up data (1990-1997) from the Cardiovascular Health Study and its Environmental Factors Ancillary Study. Monthly average pollution and annual frailty assessments were related to up to 3 repeated measurements of lung function using cumulative summaries of pollution and frailty histories that accounted for duration as well as concentration. Frailty history was found to modify long-term associations of pollutants with forced vital capacity. For example, the decrease in forced vital capacity associated with a 70-ppb/month greater cumulative sum of monthly average ozone exposure was 12.3 mL (95% confidence interval: 10.4, 14.2) for a woman who had spent the prior 7 years prefrail or frail as compared with 4.7 mL (95% confidence interval: 3.8, 5.6) for a similar woman who was robust during all 7 years (interaction P < 0.001).</p>
DOI10.1093/aje/kws001
Alternate JournalAm. J. Epidemiol.
PubMed ID22811494
PubMed Central IDPMC3491964
Grant ListR01 DK061662 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85085 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
T32 AG000247 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG015928 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
U01 HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85081 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC015103 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R56 AG020098 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
AG-20098 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01HC55222 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85086 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85086 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
AG-027058 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85082 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC-55222 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85083 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-75150 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85080 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG020098 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01HC75150 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
T32 AG00247 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85239 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
AG-023629 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85079 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG023629 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG027058 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC045133 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC035129 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R56 AG023629 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85084 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States