Ozone exposure linked to hypoxia and increased arterial stiffness, finds study

Ozone (O3) exposure may reduce the availability of oxygen in the body, resulting in arterial stiffening due to the body's natural response to create more red blood cells and hemoglobin, according to a study published today in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Hypoxia is a shared pathogenesis of ozone associated diseases; therefore, we hypothesized that O3 exposure may induce changes in hypoxia-related markers, leading to adverse cardiovascular effects.

“Researchers found that even brief exposure to elevated ozone levels reduced blood oxygen saturation, triggered hypoxia-related biomarkers, and increased arterial stiffness, highlighting the novel connection between ozone exposure and arterial stiffness, demonstrated through comprehensive biomarker analysis in a high-altitude setting,” said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, MD, SM, Editor-in-Chief of JACC. “This study uniquely isolates ozone’s effects from other pollutants, providing a critical step forward in understanding its independent role in cardiovascular injury.”

Ozone pollution is becoming a worldwide health issue. Recent studies have linked O3 exposure with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. Hypoxia, or the deficiency of oxygen in the body, is recognized as a pivotal factor in O3-associated CVDs.

Researchers concluded that ozone exposure may reduce oxygen availability, prompting compensatory increases in red blood cells and hemoglobin, which exacerbate arterial stiffening. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying O3-induced cardiovascular injury.

Reference:

Qiaoyi Hua, Xin Meng, Wu Chen, Yifan Xu, Ruiwei Xu, Yunxiu Shi, Jiajianghui Li, Xueling Meng, Ailin Li, Qianqian Chai, Mengshuang Sheng, Yuan Yao, Yunfei Fan, Ruohong Qiao, Yi Zhang, Teng Wang, Yidan Zhang, Xiaoyu Cui, Yaqi Yu, Haonan Li, Rui Tang, Meilin Yan, Bu Duo, Danzeng Dunzhu, Zhuo Ga, Lei Hou, Yingjun Liu, Jing Shang, Qi Chen, Xinghua Qiu, Chunxiang Ye, Jicheng Gong, Tong Zhu, Associations of Short-Term Ozone Exposure With Hypoxia and Arterial Stiffness, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.11.04