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Vivere in prossimità di strade con grande traffico aumenta il rischio di malattie cardiovascolari

Sono ormai molti gli studi che attribuiscono all'inquinamento ambientale un ruolo nello sviluppo delle malattie cardiovascolari. L'esposizione cronica a inquinanti si associa infatti ad alterazioni metaboliche e infiammatorie, al peggioramento dei segni clinici e strumentali di malattie cardiovascolari e se i livelli di inquinanti sono molto elevati, l'esposizione favorisce la comparsa di eventi cardiovascolari acuti. Da queste premesse, non deve stupire che la residenza in zone con alto traffico veicolare aggravi il rischio cardiovascolare. La DeJarnett e coll. hanno affrontato il problema dei rapporti tra inquinamento e rischio cardiovascolare partendo dal conteggio del numero delle cellule angiogeniche immature. Queste cellule sono un indice di attivazione del midollo che le libera nel sangue periferico al fine di promuovere la riparazione o la rigenerazione dell'endotelio. Il numero delle cellule immature circolanti era più alto in coloro che vivevano in prossimità di strade molto trafficate e questo indica il grado di danneggiamento dell'endotelio da parte del traffico veicolare.

Residential Proximity to Major Roadways Is Associated With Increased Levels of AC133+ Circulating Angiogenic Cells

DeJarnett N, Yeager R, Conklin DJ, Lee J, O'Toole TE, McCracken J, Abplanalp W, Srivastava S, Riggs DW, Hamzeh I, Wagner S, Chugh A, DeFilippis A, Ciszewski T, Wyatt B, Becher C, Higdon D, Ramos KS, Tollerud DJ, Myers JA, Rai SN, Shah J, Zafar N, Krishnasamy SS, Prabhu SD, Bhatnagar A

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2015;35:2468-77

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that residential proximity to a roadway is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Yet, the nature of this association remains unclear, and its effect on individual cardiovascular disease risk factors has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to determine whether residential proximity to roadways influences systemic inflammation and the levels of circulating angiogenic cells.
APPROACH AND RESULTS: In a cross-sectional study, cardiovascular disease risk factors, blood levels of C-reactive protein, and 15 antigenically defined circulating angiogenic cell populations were measured in participants (n=316) with moderate-to-high cardiovascular disease risk. Attributes of roadways surrounding residential locations were assessed using geographic information systems. Associations between road proximity and cardiovascular indices were analyzed using generalized linear models. Close proximity (<50 m) to a major roadway was associated with lower income and higher rates of smoking but not C-reactive protein levels. After adjustment for potential confounders, the levels of circulating angiogenic cells in peripheral blood were significantly elevated in people living in close proximity to a major roadway (CD31(+)/AC133(+), AC133(+), CD34(+)/AC133(+), and CD34(+)/45(dim)/AC133(+) cells) and positively associated with road segment distance (CD31(+)/AC133(+), AC133(+), and CD34(+)/AC133(+) cells), traffic intensity (CD31(+)/AC133(+) and AC133(+) cells), and distance-weighted traffic intensity (CD31(+)/34(+)/45(+)/AC133(+) cells).
CONCLUSIONS: Living close to a major roadway is associated with elevated levels of circulating cells positive for the early stem marker AC133(+). This may reflect an increased need for vascular repair. Levels of these cells in peripheral blood may be a sensitive index of cardiovascular injury because of residential proximity to roadways.

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2015;35:2468-77