Air pollution linked to DVT
Tuesday, 13 May 2008 13:03
Deep vein thrombosis linked to air pollution
Health In Focus
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK but awareness of the disease is not as high as it should be. Full Story
People living in areas of high pollution are at a significantly higher risk of contracting deep vein thrombosis (DVT), research has claimed.
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found exposure to particulates of air pollution increased the risk of blood clots in deep leg veins by 70 per cent.
Long-term exposure to air pollution has already been proven to lead to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Almost 900 patients with DVT were involved in the US study, which was conducted in Lombardy, Italy.
The patients, and 1,210 controls without blood clots, were tested for their exposure to particulates – very small particles of solid and liquid chemicals from burning fossil fuels.
Lead researcher Professor Andrea Baccarelli found that for every ten micrograms per square metre of small particulates there was a 70 per cent increased risk of DVT occurring.
DVT, which can be fatal if embolisms are formed in the lungs, is heavily associated with inactivity involving long-haul flights or office jobs.
Prof Baccarelli commented: "Given the magnitude of the observed effects and the widespread diffusion of particulate pollutants, our findings introduce a novel and common risk factor into the pathogenesis of deep vein thrombosis and, at the same time, give further substance to the call for tighter standards and continued efforts aimed at reducing the impact of urban air pollutants on human health."