Solar and geomagnetic activity enhance the effects of air pollutants on atrial fibrillation

Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2021 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 981

Study snapshot

PublicationEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2021

Study typecohort

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Solar and geomagnetic activity enhance the effects of air pollutants on atrial fibrillation Zilli Vieira CL, Link MS, Garshick E, Peralta AA, Luttmann-Gibson H, Laden F, Liu M, Gold DR, Koutrakis P. Solar and geomagnetic activity enhance the effects of air pollutants on atrial fibrillation. Europace. 2021 Nov 13:euab269. doi: 10.1093/europace/euab269. Abstract Aims: Cardiac arrhythmias have been associated with intense solar and geomagnetic activity (SGA) and exposures to air pollution. Methods: We examined whether oscillations of SGA can modify the effect of hourly exposures to air pollutants on atrial fibrillation ≥30 s (AF) risk in patients with dual-chamber implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The effects of SGA on ambient particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), ultrafine particles (PN), and associations with AF were assessed. Measures of SGA included solar wind proton density (SW), total interplanetary magnetic field strength (IMF), and Kp index, a measure of global geomagnetic activity. Results: Overall time lags between 0 and 24 h, periods of increased SGA (>50th percentile in IMF, SW, and Kp index) enhanced the effects of all three air pollutants on AF, while during periods of reduced SGA the associations were considerably weaker or absent. During periods of intense SW 6 h prior to an AF event, the odds ratio (OR) for PM2.5 exposure per interquartile range (IQR) of 5.6 µg/m3 was 1.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-2.3, P = 0.0001]. For periods of reduced SW, the OR for PM2.5 exposure per IQR was 1.2 (95% CI 0.9-1.5; P = 0.27). There were similar effects for PN and BC exposures. In patients with multiple AF events per hour, the associations with air pollutants during intense SGA were even greater. Conclusion: The effects of air pollutants up to 24 h before AF events were enhanced during periods of increased SGA. Our results suggest that these effects may account for variation in AF risk. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typecohort

Effect directionmixed

PopulationPatients with dual-chamber implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

Sample sizeNot supplied

Exposurehourly exposures; time lags 0–24 h prior to atrial fibrillation events

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Across 0–24 h lags, periods of increased solar/geomagnetic activity (>50th percentile in IMF, solar wind proton density, and Kp index) enhanced associations between hourly air pollutant exposures (PM2.5, black carbon, ultrafine particles) and AF, while during reduced solar/geomagnetic activity associations were weaker or absent. Example: during intense solar wind 6 h prior to an AF event, the OR for PM2.5 per IQR (5.6 µg/m3) was 1.7 (95% CI 1.3–2.3; P=0.0001) vs 1.2 (95% CI 0.9–1.5; P=0.27) during reduced solar wind.

Outcomes measured

Atrial fibrillation ≥30 s (AF) risk/events

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
Observational design; potential residual confounding not described in abstract
Exposure assessment methods for pollutants and solar/geomagnetic metrics not detailed in abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "cohort",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "solar and geomagnetic activity (solar wind proton density, interplanetary magnetic field strength, Kp index) as effect modifier; ambient air pollutants (PM2.5, black carbon, ultrafine particles)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "hourly exposures; time lags 0–24 h prior to atrial fibrillation events"
  },
  "population": "Patients with dual-chamber implantable cardioverter-defibrillators",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Atrial fibrillation ≥30 s (AF) risk/events"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Across 0–24 h lags, periods of increased solar/geomagnetic activity (>50th percentile in IMF, solar wind proton density, and Kp index) enhanced associations between hourly air pollutant exposures (PM2.5, black carbon, ultrafine particles) and AF, while during reduced solar/geomagnetic activity associations were weaker or absent. Example: during intense solar wind 6 h prior to an AF event, the OR for PM2.5 per IQR (5.6 µg/m3) was 1.7 (95% CI 1.3–2.3; P=0.0001) vs 1.2 (95% CI 0.9–1.5; P=0.27) during reduced solar wind.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Observational design; potential residual confounding not described in abstract",
    "Exposure assessment methods for pollutants and solar/geomagnetic metrics not detailed in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "solar activity",
    "geomagnetic activity",
    "solar wind proton density",
    "interplanetary magnetic field",
    "Kp index",
    "air pollution",
    "PM2.5",
    "black carbon",
    "ultrafine particles",
    "atrial fibrillation",
    "implantable cardioverter-defibrillator"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.2,
      "reason": "Includes geomagnetic/interplanetary magnetic field metrics; potentially relevant to broader EMF context, though not RF/ELF exposure from technology."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1093/europace/euab269
PubMed: 34791174

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