Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Roadside Emissions and Kidney Disease

Kidney
Kidney (Photo credit: Joshua Schwimmer)

Also discussed here: Diesel emissions harming kidneys(Dr Cory Couillard, VibeGhana, May 14, 2013) 

Today we review some research indicating that those who breathe particulates near busy roads risk not only a higher risk of cardiovascular disease but also kidney disease. Results indicate that when the proximity is less than 50 m can cause a relative aging of 4 years. 

Key Quotes: 

“Living near major roadways has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, but little is known about its impact on renal function.” 

 “An average person breathes 22,000 times a day and takes in 16 kg of air each day” 

“Diesel petrol has been discovered to contain tiny particles that can injure blood vessels and prevent them from contracting and relaxing properly. The blood flow disturbance increases the risk of blood clots in the heart and decreases the overall function of the kidneys.” 

 “Living near a major roadway is associated with lower eGFR [estimated glomerular filtration rate]in a cohort of patients presenting with acute ischaemic stroke. If causal, these results imply that exposures associated with living near a major roadway contribute to reduced renal function, an important risk factor for cardiovascular events.” 

 “Comparing patients living 50 m versus 1000 m from a major roadway was associated with a 3.9 ml/min/1.73 m2 lower eGFR .. a difference comparable in magnitude to the reduction in eGFR observed for a 4-year increase in age in population-based studies.”

 “If causal, these results imply that exposures associated with living near a major roadway contribute to reduced renal (kidney) function, an important risk factor for cardiovascular events”
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