Long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) correlates with an increased need for diagnostic testing in HF, according to findings published in PLOS ONE. Cavin K. Ward-Caviness, PhD, and colleagues found that, in a cohort of 15,979 patients with HF, a 1 μg/m3 increase in annual average PM2.5 correlated with more glycosylated haemoglobin tests (10.8%), prothrombin time tests (15.8%), and stress tests (6.84%). Findings remained stable in multiple sensitivity analyses. “These associations give a unique lens into patient morbidity and potential drivers of healthcare costs linked to PM2.5 exposure,” Dr. Caviness and colleagues wrote.
