THE LANCET 46 Florig KH. China's air pollution risks. Environ Sci Tech 1997; 31: 274A-79A 47 Murray CJL, Lopez AD. The global burden of disease: a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability from diseases, injuries, and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1996. 48 National Center for Health Statistics. Deaths and death rates for the 10 leading causes of death in specified age groups: report of final mortality statistics. Hyattsville, MD: NCHS, 1995. 49 New York Times. Southeast Asia chokes on Indonesia's forest fires. September 25, 1997: 1. 50 Brimblecombe P. The Big Smoke. London: Routledge Chapman and Hall, 1987. 51 World Resources Institute. World Resources Report 1996-97: the urban environment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. 52 Saldiva PHN, Pope III CA, Schwartz J, et al. Air pollution and mortality in elderly people: a time series study in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Arch Environ Health 1995; 50: 159-64. 53 Katsouyanni K, Pershagen G. Ambient air pollution exposure and cancer. Cancer Causes Control 1997; S: 284-91. 54 MacKenzie JJ. Climate protection and the national interest: the links among climate change, air pollution and energy security. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute, 1997. 55 McMichael AJ. Healthy world, healthy people. People Planet, 1997; 6: 6-9. Value of natriuretic peptides in assessment of patients with possible new heart failure in primary care Martin R Cowie, Allan D Struthers, David A Wood, Andrew JS Coats, Simon G Thompson, Philip A Poole-Wilson, George C Sutton Summary Background The reliability of a clinical diagnosis of heart failure in primary care is poor. Concentrations of natriuretic peptides are high in heart failure. This population-based study examined the predictive value of natriuretic peptides in patients with a new primary-care diagnosis of heart failure. חו Methods Concentrations of plasma atrial (ANP and Nterminal ANP) and B-type (BNP) natriuretic peptides were measured by radioimmunoassay 122 consecutive patients referred to a rapid-access heart-failure clinic with a new primary-care diagnosis of heart failure. On the basis of clinical assessment, chest radiography. and transthoracic echocardiography. a panel of three cardiologists decided that 35 (29%) patients met the case definition for new heart failure. ANP and NT-ANP results were available for 117 patients (34 with heart failure) and BNP results for 106 (29 with heart failure). Findings Geometric mean concentrations of natriuretic peptides were much higher in patients with heart failure than in those with other diagnoses (29-2 vs 12-4 pmol/L for ANP: 63.9 vs 13-9 pmol/L for BNP: 1187 vs 410-6 pmol/L for NT-ANP: all p<0.001). At cut-off values chosen to give negative predictive values for heart failure of 98% (ANP 18-1 pmol/L. NT-ANP 537-6 pmol/L. BNP >22-2 pmol/L), the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for ANP were 97%, 72%, and 55%; for NT-ANP 97%. 66%, and 54%; and for BNP 97%, 84%, and 70%. Addition of ANP or NT-ANP concentration or both did not improve Cardiac Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, London SW3 6LY, UK (M R Cowie MRCP, DA Wood FRCP, A JS Coats FRCP, P A Poole-Wilson FRCP); Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee (A D Struthers FRCP); Department of Medical Statistics and Evaluation, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London (S G Thompson ose); and Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge, Middlesex (G C Sutton FRCP) Correspondence to: Dr Martin R Cowie the predictive power of a logistic regression model containing BNP concentration alone. Interpretation In patients with symptoms suspected by a general practitioner to be due to heart failure, plasma BNP concentration seems to be a useful indicator of which patients are likely to have heart failure and require further clinical assessment. Lancet 1997; 350: 1347-51 Introduction Heart failure is commonly misdiagnosed, and the validity of the diagnosis in primary care is poor. The symptoms are non-specific and the clinical signs, although reasonably specific, are not at all sensitive. Consequently, even experienced physicians disagree on the diagnosis in individual cases, especially when the heart failure is mild.' Natriuretic peptides are released in response to increased intracardiac volume or pressure. They have a natriuretic and vasodilatatory effect and suppress the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.' A prohormone, stored in the atria, on release is cleaved into the active Cterminal atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and the inactive and less rapidly cleared N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-ANP). B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is secreted mainly by the ventricle. The plasma concentration of these peptides is higher than normal in patients with heart failure and also, but to a lesser extent, in patients with symptomless cardiac impairment." Measurements of these peptides could therefore provide valuable information about underlying cardiac function.' Previous work has focused on their role in detecting symptomless left-ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction," but little attention has been paid to the role of the natriuretic peptides in assessment of whether a patient's symptoms are due to heart failure at the time of first presentation to primary care. Measurement of natriuretic peptides might indicate whether referral for further cardiological assessment is necessary. NT-ANP and BNP are more stable than ANP and therefore are more suitable for use in primary care. Both of these peptides seem to be more sensitive and specific Q3.2 What level of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and in the number of deaths associated with exposure to fine particles will result from EPA's recently promulgated fine particulate standard. begins to address this public health concern and should result in both some reductions in greenhouse gas emissions along with reducing the number of deaths associated with exposure to fine particles." A3.2 EPA estimated that its new standard for fine particulates would save 15,000 premature deaths per year. EPA's standard setting rule does not address reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or the relationship between fine particulate and CO2 reductions. Q3.3 Please document the figures provided in the response to question 3.2 above. A3.3 An EPA fact sheet on the health and environmental effects of particulate matter is attached. Additional information on EPA's air quality regulations is available from EPA's Airlinks Web site (www.epa.gov/airlinks/) or from the Office of Air and Radiation in the Agency. HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF PARTICULATE MATTER . Particulate matter is the term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the . These fine particles are so small that several thousand of them could fit on the period at the end of . They are of health concern because they easily reach the deepest recesses of the lungs. Batteries of scientific studies have linked particulate matter, especially fine particles (alone or in • Premature death; Respiratory related hospital admissions and emergency room visits; • Acute respiratory symptoms, including aggravated coughing and difficult or painful . Chronic bronchitis; . Decreased lung function that can be experienced as shortness of breath; and • Work and school absences. Who is Most at Risk from Exposure to Fine Particles? . The Elderly: . Studies estimate that tens of thousands of elderly people die prematurely each year from . Studies also indicate that exposure to fine particles is associated with thousands of hospital ⚫ Individuals with Preexisting Heart or Lung Disease: Breathing fine particles can also adversely affect individuals with heart disease, ⚫ Children: 0 The average adult breathes 13,000 liters of air per day; children breathe 50 percent more air Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov/naaqsfin/pmhealth.htm per pound of body weight than adults. • Because children's respiratory systems are still developing, they are more susceptible to Exposure to fine particles is associated with increased frequency of childhood illnesses, . Fine particles are also associated with increased respiratory symptoms and reduced lung Asthmatics and Asthmatic Children: . More and more people are being diagnosed with asthma every year. Fourteen Americans die . Breathing fine particles, alone or in combination with other pollutants, can aggravate How do Particulate Matter and Fine Particles Effect the Environment? ⚫ The same fine particles linked to serious health effects are also a major cause of visibility . In many parts of the U.S. the visual range has been reduced 70% from natural conditions. In the ⚫ Fine particles can remain suspended in the air and travel long distances. For example, a puff of • Airborne particles can also cause soiling and damage to materials. What Improvements Would Result from EPA's New Standards? ⚫ EPA's new standards will provide increased health protection from the following effects: . About 15,000 lives each year will be saved, especially among the elderly and those with • Reduced risk of hospital admissions by thousands each year, and fewer emergency room • Reduced risk of symptoms associated with chronic bronchitis, tens of thousands fewer cases • Reduced risk of respiratory symptoms in children, hundreds of thousands fewer incidences • Reduced risk of aggravation of asthma, hundreds of thousands fewer incidences each year, • Reduced risks of susceptibility to childhood illnesses. Improved visibility over broad regions in the east and urban areas: . The Clean Air Act placed special emphasis on preserving visibility in certain national parks and wilderness areas. In response, EPA is developing a "regional haze" program intended to ensure all parts of the country make continued progress toward the national visibility goal of Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov/naaqsfin/pmhealth.htm "no manmade impairment." . New standards that EPA has promulgated, together with the "regional haze" program under Background: What is Particulate Matter and What are "Fine" Particles? . Particulate matter originates from a variety of sources, including diesel trucks, power plants, wood ⚫ Those particles that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter are known as "fine" particles; those ⚫ EPA is also maintaining a national air quality standard focused on small particles less than 10 . Before 1987, EPA's standards regulated larger particles (so called "total suspended particulates"), . In the years since the previous standard was enacted, hundreds of significant new scientific studies have been published on the health effects of particulate matter. Recent health effects studies suggest those adverse public health effects, such as premature deaths and increased morbidity in children and other sensitive populations, have been associated with exposure to particle levels well below those allowed by the current standard. |