Sympathetic Nerve Activation Evoked by Diesel Exhaust Exposure

Umeå University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Other: Diesel exhaust exposure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02892279

Umu-2016-57-31

Details and patient eligibility

About

The adverse effects of air pollution on cardiovascular and respiratory health have been demonstrated in an extensive series of epidemiological, observational and experimental studies. In the current project the investigators aim to determine whether an acute exposure to diesel exhaust causes impacts on sympathetic nervous system activation in healthy volunteers.

Full description

Brief as well as chronic exposures to air pollution have been linked with increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Evidence suggests that the strongest associations between air pollution exposure and adverse cardiovascular effects are found for combustion-derived particulate matter, especially in the fine and ultrafine ranges such as is found in diesel engine emissions. Despite a greater understanding of the cardiovascular effects of air pollution, the underlying mechanism through which exposure to fine particulate air pollution alters vascular function has yet to be determined. Microneurography is a method that records nerve impulse traffic in human peripheral nerves, allowing for the assessment of sympathetic nervous activity. The current study will employed microneurography techniques to evaluate autonomic function in association with inhaled air pollution exposure in healthy human volunteers.

Enrollment: 15 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy (normal ECG, lung function, blood sample, clinical examination)

Exclusion criteria

• Metabolic disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Respiratory disease
• BMI ≥ 30
• Use of psychoactive medication
• Infection within 2 weeks of the study
• Smokers or regular snus usage

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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15 participants in 1 patient group

Diesel exhaust exposure

Experimental group

Description:

A single arm study in which first a baseline muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) is recorded with and without an exposure mask. When measurements have been secured exposure to dilute diesel exhaust will start.

Treatment:

Other: Diesel exhaust exposure