Aortic & peripheral vascular diseaseCohort study
Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events
- Prospective cohort study
- multicentre
- observational
Authors' conclusion
In this study, patients with carotid artery plaque in which MNPs were detected had a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease257 completed follow-up
- Participants
- 304 patients
- Exposure
- Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) detected in plaque vs no MNPs detected
- Outcome
- Composite of:
- MI
- Stroke
- All-cause death
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
mean follow-up 33.7±6.9 months
Hazard ratio
4.53
95% CI 2.00–10.27
P < 0.001
MNPs detected vs No MNPs
HR 4.53 (95% CI 2.00–10.27); P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
MNPs in carotid plaque
- Polyethylene detected
- 150 patients (58.4%); mean 21.7±24.5 μg per milligram of plaque
- Polyvinyl chloride also measurable
- 31 patients (12.1%); mean 5.2±2.4 μg per milligram of plaque
- Electron microscopy: jagged-edged foreign particles among plaque macrophages and in external debris; some included chlorine
Original publication
Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events. N Engl J Med. Published 7 March 2024. doi:10.1056/nejmoa2309822
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it