Biodiesel Exhaust, Acute Vascular and Endothelial Responses (BEAVER)

University of Edinburgh

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Other: Forearm venous occlusion plethysmography study

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01337882

BEAVER

Details and patient eligibility

About

Exposure to particulate air pollution has been shown to increase cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, and in previous controlled exposure studies has been shown to have acute cardiovascular and respiratory effects. The last decade has seen an unprecedented drive towards finding a bioeconomical and renewable source of fuel in order to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Although both biodiesel and bioethanol have emerged as contenders for future fuels, biodiesel remains as the strongest contender within European markets. In 2007 researchers at the EPA released a commentary, which concluded that the assumed correlation between the chemical composition of biodiesel exhaust and a reduction in health effects was only hypothetical. They suggested that there was a clear need for the study of health effects in humans regarding biofuel exhaust. In this project the investigators aim to investigate the cardiovascular, respiratory and inflammatory responses to biofuel exhaust exposure in healthy volunteers.

Enrollment: 16 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 55 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 20 healthy, non-smoking subjects, age 20-55 year old, both genders.

All subjects undergo a general health examination and are required to have:

Normal clinical examination Normal EKG Normal routine blood tests Normal lung function

Exclusion criteria

• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Asthma and/or allergy
• Respiratory infection within 3 weeks of the study
• Antioxidant- and/or vitamin supplementation within 2 weeks prior to, as well as during the course of the study. (incl vitamin C, Acetylcysteine)
• Female subjects will take a urinary pregnancy test before each exposure and will be excluded if this is positive.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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16 participants in 2 patient groups

Diesel exhaust exposure

Experimental group

Description:

1 hour exposure to dilute diesel exhaust (approximate PM10 concentration 300 mcg/m3) during intermittent exercise

Treatment:

Other: Forearm venous occlusion plethysmography study

Biodiesel exhaust exposure

Experimental group

Description:

1 hour exposure to dilute biodiesel exhaust (approximate PM10 concentration 300 mcg/m3) during intermittent exercise

Treatment:

Other: Forearm venous occlusion plethysmography study