Air pollution and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and inflammation in the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort

INTRODUCTION: Air pollution is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, possibly through chronic systemic inflammation that promotes the progression of atherosclerosis and the risk of cardiovascular events. This study aimed to investigate the associations between air pollution and established biomarkers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease. METHODS: The Cardiovascular Subcohort of the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort includes 6103 participants from the general population of Malmö, Sweden. The participants were recruited 1991–1994. Annual mean residential exposure to particulate matter < 2.5 and < 10 μm (PM(2.5) and PM(10)), and nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) at year of recruitment were assigned from dispersion models. Blood samples collected at recruitment, including blood cell counts, and biomarkers (lymphocyte- and neutrophil counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)), ceruloplasmin, orosomucoid, haptoglobin, complement-C3, and alpha-1-antitrypsin) were analyzed. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the cross-sectional associations between air pollutants and biomarkers. RESULTS: The mean annual exposure levels in the cohort were only slightly or moderately above the new WHO guidelines of 5 μg/m(3) PM(2.5) (10.5 μg/m(3) PM(2.5)). Residential PM(2.5) exposure was associated with increased levels of ceruloplasmin, orosomucoid, C3, alpha-1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, Lp-PLA(2) and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio. Ceruloplasmin, orosomucoid, C3 and alpha-1-antitrypsin were also positively associated with PM(10). There were no associations between air pollutants and suPAR, leukocyte counts or CRP. The associations between particles and biomarkers were still significant after removing outliers and adjustment for CRP levels. The associations were more prominent in smokers. CONCLUSION: Long-term residential exposure to moderate levels of particulate air pollution was associated with several biomarkers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease. This supports inflammation as a mechanism behind the association between air pollution and cardiovascular disease. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12940-022-00851-1.