The purpose of this study is to identify the role of endothelin 1 (a natural vasoconstrictor) in the adverse vascular effects demonstrated after exposure to air pollution
Air pollution is a major problem, and can be linked to around 5% of all deaths worldwide each year. There are strong associations between air pollution exposure and heart disease but we do not yet understand how these harmful effects are mediated. Understanding this mechanism is likely to have a major impact on the way we treat patients with heart disease and have the potential to shape future environmental health policy. The upregulation of Endothelin-1 provides a plausible mechanism for these harmful effects, and we plan to investigate this in more depth in the human forearm following exposure to diesel exhaust.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
15
Intra-arterial infusion of Endothelin-1 at 5pmol/min for 1 hour during venous occlusion plethysmography
1 hour intra-arterial infusion of BQ-123 at 10nmol/min followed by co-infusion of BQ-788 at 1nmol/min for a further hour during forearm venous occlusion plethysmography
Umeå University
Umeå, Västerbottens, Sweden
Change in forearm blood flow following infusion of endothelin-1 or the endothelin receptor antagonists BQ-123 & BQ-788
Time frame: 2 hours after exposure
24 hour mean blood pressure (ambulatory monitoring)
Time frame: 24 hours following the exposure
Systemic endothelin-1 and big endothelin-1 concentrations
Time frame: At baseline, and immediately, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 24 hours after exposure
Changes in arterial stiffness (pulse-wave velocity)
Time frame: During and for the 1 hour after the exposure
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.