Approved Research

Air pollution, immunohematologic failure, and cardiovascular risk

Lay summary

Aim: The aim of this proposal is to understand the impact of non-traditional  factors (immune dysfunction, air pollution, and socioeconomic status) on risk of heart disease.

Scientific Rationale: Air pollution and socioeconomic status have been individually associated with risk of heart disease. We have shown that dysfunction of the immune system (reflected by reduced number of lymphocytes) and the red blood cell system (as measured by high variability in red cell size) are associated with risk of death from heart disease

Project Duration: The duration of this project is approximately 3 years

Public Health Impact: Understanding non-traditional risk factors of heart disease will help identify high-risk populations, for whom intensive cardiovascular risk reduction can be investigated.