Long-Term Particulate Matter Exposure and Coronary Inflammation: A Large-Scale Cohort Study Assessed by Pericoronary Fat Attenuation Index.
Authors
Affiliations (7)
Affiliations (7)
- Department of Cardiology and Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Beijing 100191, China.
- MEEKL-AERM, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering and Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Tibetan Plateau, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
- Shanghai United Imaging Intelligence Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200232, China.
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
- MEEKL-AERM, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering and Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Tibetan Plateau, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
- Department of Cardiology and Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) is known to accelerate atherosclerosis through systemic inflammation, yet its specific impact on local coronary inflammation remains poorly understood. This large-scale retrospective cohort study investigated the long-term effects of PM exposure on coronary inflammation as assessed by the pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI). We analyzed 5,528 participants undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), including a longitudinal subcohort of 656 individuals with serial scans. FAI values for the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary arteries were extracted using a deep-learning-based pipeline. Individual-level exposures to fine particulate with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5μm (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10μm (PM<sub>10</sub>), and black carbon (BC) were estimated using a validated 1-km resolution spatiotemporal model. Results from generalized additive and linear mixed-effects models indicated that each interquartile range (IQR) increase in 1-year PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, and BC exposure was associated with significant elevations in FAI across all vessels, such as increases of 7.57, 8.72, and 2.35 HU in the right coronary artery, respectively. Furthermore, longitudinal analysis revealed that IQR increases in pollutants corresponded to accelerated annual FAI progression. These associations were notably stronger among participants with hypertension, diabetes, or a history of smoking. In conclusion, among patients with suspected coronary artery disease, long-term exposure to PM is intrinsically linked to localized and progressive coronary inflammation. These findings provide a proximal toxicological link between ambient pollution and coronary pathophysiology, underscoring the urgency of integrating environmental determinants into cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention strategies for vulnerable populations.