Description:
<jats:p>Background: In hemodialysis patients, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) levels are affected by particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM<sub>10</sub>). We conducted this study to determine whether there is an association between short- and long-term PM<sub>10</sub> exposure and baPWV in apparently healthy adults aged 40 years and older.Methods: A total of 1,628 subjects who underwent health examinations between 2006 and 2009 were included in the study. On the basis of the day of medical screening, the 1–3-day and 365-day moving averages of PM<sub>10</sub> concentrations were used to evaluate the association between short- and long-term exposure to PM<sub>10</sub> and high baPWV (≥the third quartile of baPWV, 1,534 cm/s) using logistic regression models. Additional subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, sex, obesity (body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m<sup>2</sup>), and comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome.Results: No statistically significant associations were identified between short-term and long-term exposure to PM<sub>10</sub> and baPWV in any of the subjects and subgroups. A 10-μg/m<sup>3</sup> increase in the 2-day moving average of PM<sub>10</sub> exposure was marginally associated with high baPWV in non-obese subjects (odds ratio, 1.059; P=0.058). This association in non-obese subjects was significantly different from that in obese subjects (P=0.038).Conclusion: This study did not show statistically significant associations between short-term and long-term exposure to PM<sub>10</sub> and baPWV in apparently healthy subjects. With short-term exposure to PM<sub>10</sub>, non-obese subjects showed a marginally unfavorable association with baPWV. Further studies are necessary to validate and elucidate the mechanism underlying the effect of PM<sub>10</sub> on baPWV.</jats:p>