Air Pollution and Temperature: a Systematic Review of Ubiquitous Environmental Exposures and Sudden Cardiac Death

William Borchert; Stephanie T Grady; Jie Chen; Nicole V DeVille; Charlotte Roscoe; Futu Chen; Carol Mita; Isabel Holland; Grete E Wilt; Cindy R Hu; Unnati Mehta; Rachel C Nethery; Christine M Albert; Francine Laden; Jaime E Hart

doi:10.1007/s40572-023-00414-7

Air Pollution and Temperature: a Systematic Review of Ubiquitous Environmental Exposures and Sudden Cardiac Death

Curr Environ Health Rep. 2023 Dec;10(4):490-500. doi: 10.1007/s40572-023-00414-7. Epub 2023 Oct 17.

Authors

William Borchert^{1

2

3}, Stephanie T Grady⁴, Jie Chen^{5

6}, Nicole V DeVille^{6

7

8}, Charlotte Roscoe^{5

6}, Futu Chen^{5

9}, Carol Mita¹⁰, Isabel Holland^{5

6}, Grete E Wilt^{5

9

6}, Cindy R Hu^{5

9

6}, Unnati Mehta^{5

9

6}, Rachel C Nethery¹¹, Christine M Albert^{12

13}, Francine Laden^{5

6

7}, Jaime E Hart^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, Room 1301, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. wborchert@g.harvard.edu.
² Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA. wborchert@g.harvard.edu.
³ Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. wborchert@g.harvard.edu.
⁴ Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, Room 1301, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
⁶ Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁷ Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
⁸ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
⁹ Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
¹⁰ Countway Library, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
¹¹ Department of Biostatistics, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
¹² Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
¹³ Division of Preventative Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 37845484
PMCID: PMC11016309 (available on 2024-12-01)
DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00414-7

Abstract

Purpose of review: Environmental exposures have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and acute coronary events, but their relationship with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains unclear. SCD is an important contributor to the global burden of cardiovascular disease worldwide.

Recent findings: Current literature suggests a relationship between environmental exposures and cardiovascular disease, but their relationship with OHCA/SCD remains unclear. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Global Health. Of 5138 studies identified by our literature search, this review included 30 studies on air pollution, 42 studies on temperature, 6 studies on both air pollution and temperature, and 1 study on altitude exposure and OHCA/SCD. Particulate matter air pollution, ozone, and both hot and cold temperatures are associated with increased risk of OHCA/SCD. Pollution and other exposures related to climate change play an important role in OHCA/SCD incidence.

Keywords: Air pollution; Cardiac arrest; Climate change; Sudden cardiac death; Temperature.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / toxicity
Air Pollution* / adverse effects
Air Pollution* / analysis
Cross-Over Studies
Death, Sudden, Cardiac / epidemiology
Death, Sudden, Cardiac / etiology
Environmental Exposure / adverse effects
Environmental Exposure / analysis
Humans
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest* / chemically induced
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest* / epidemiology
Particulate Matter / analysis
Temperature

Substances

Particulate Matter
Air Pollutants

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding