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Background: Although particulate matter, with diameters < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and < 10 µm (PM10), and other pollutants have been associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the effect of pollutants on acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) has rarely been investigated in Asia, especially in Shanghai, China., Methods: Between 1 November 2013 and 27 April 2014, 972 patients from the Pudong District, Shanghai City, were assessed by the Emergency Medical Service. A case-crossover design was used to analyze exposure to air pollution and the AMI risk. Exposures to PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphurdioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) were based on the mean urban background levels. The associations among AMI admissions, the included pollutants, temperature, and relative humidity were analyzed using correlation and logistic regression., Results: The urban background levels of PM2.5, PM10 and CO were associated with an increased risk of AMI, unlike NO2 and SO2 levels. The OR (95% CI) for AMI were 1.16 (1.03-1.29), 1.05 (1.01-1.16), 0.82 (0.75-1.02), 0.87 (0.63-1.95), and 1.08 (1.02-1.21) for PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO, respectively. Increases in the air quality index (AQI) were associated with more AMI occurrences. There was no correlation between fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity with AMI hospital admissions., Conclusions: Short-term exposure to moderate-serious pollution levels is associated with increased risk of AMI. Increased PM2.5, PM10 and CO levels are related to increased AMI admissions.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to compare the plaque composition between patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) by intravascular ultrasound virtual histological analysis., Methods: Two hundred and ten patients were divided into ACS group (n = 131, 188 diseased vessels) and SCAD group (n = 79, 158 diseased vessels). A total of 346 de novo lesions with > 50% stenosis in native coronary arteries with diameters > 2.5 mm were studied with intravascular ultrasonography. Geometric and compositional data were obtained using intravascular ultrasound virtual histology software., Results: There were no significant differences in overall lesions for fibrous (51.2% +/- 12.5% vs. 52.6% +/- 9.6%), fibrolipidic (11.3% +/- 10.6% vs. 12.9% +/- 9.4%), calcium (15.1% +/- 8.9% vs. 20.5% +/- 12.5%) or necrotic core (23.1% +/- 9.8% vs. 20.4% +/- 6.8%, all P > 0.05) components between ACS and SCAD patients. Culprit lesions for fibrous (49.1% +/- 11.2% vs. 50.3% +/- 9.7%), fibrolipidic (10.2% +/- 9.5% vs. 12.7% +/- 9.5%), calcium (15.4% +/- 8.9% vs. 17.4% +/- 24.8%), or necrotic core (24.0% +/- 11.5% vs. 19.7% +/- 5.3%, all P > 0.05) components were also similar between ACS and SCAD patients. High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL) levels > 1.04 mmol/L was associated with more fibrolipidic (15.6% +/- 9.6% vs. 7.4% +/- 5.9%) and less necrotic core (19.4% +/- 8.6% vs. 28.6% +/- 11.2%, all P < 0.05 vs. patients with HDL < or = 1.04 mmol/L) components in ACS patients., Conclusion: Coronary plaque composition was similar between ACS and SCAD patients.