The Relationship between Air Pollution and Hospitalization due to Heart Failure

Some past studies have shown the association of air pollution with heart failure (HF). The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between suspended particulate matters less than 10 microns (PM10) and hospitalization due to HF.

In a cross-sectional study, the data from 359 patients’ records, admitted to Shahid Chamran hospital in Isfahan City, Iran, due to HF during the years 2017-18, were collected. The inclusion criteria were the echocardiography findings such as the cardiac ejection fraction of less than 50%, and/or additional clinical evidences that confirmed HF exacerbation. The data about hourly concentration of PM10 were collected from the CAPACITY software in the Department of Environment at Isfahan Province that displayed the PM10 data from 6 fixed stations in Isfahan City. To evaluate any relationship between PM10 and hospitalization due to HF, we considered the PM10 concentrations at last 24 hours before hospitalization.

The mean age of 359 patients who diagnosed with heart failure was 63.8 ± 14.6 years, and 82 of them (22.8%) died at the time of hospitalization. There was a significant correlation between hospitalization due to HF and air pollution quartiles.

 According to the results of present study, there was a positive correlation between the concentration of particulate matters in the air and hospitalization due to heart failure.