THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over the next year, 200 heart patients in Kerala will sleep with a drum-sized cylindrical air purifier beside their beds. This is part of a major study being undertaken by the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) to explore the link between indoor air pollution and heart health.
The air purifiers -- supplied by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi -- will continuously monitor indoor air quality even as clinicians track each patient’s heart condition. The goal: to understand whether cleaner indoor air can reduce complications in people suffering from heart failure.
The Kerala-based project is part of a larger multi-centre research initiative involving AIIMS, New Delhi, and the Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, in Punjab -- regions known for far worse air quality than Kerala. Funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the study is significant as cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in India.
“Air pollution is not just a city or traffic issue. Indoor air, where people spend a majority of their time, can be just as hazardous, especially for those with heart failure,” Dr Harikrishnan S, principal investigator and professor of cardiology at SCTIMST, told TNIE.
“This study asks a crucial question: can reducing indoor air pollution improve outcomes for patients with heart failure?”
Each home will be equipped with one of two types of purifiers, distributed randomly. One has a basic bacterial filter while the other comes with both bacterial and dust filters. The devices will measure pollutants from environmental sources and household practices such as cooking.
“Patients will return for clinical review every three months, during which doctors will assess changes in their heart function, specifically the heart’s pumping efficiency,” Dr Harikrishnan said.
A baseline reading from a central monitor installed at SCTIMST will help interpret the data collected by the homebased machines.
So far, ten air purifiers have been installed in homes across Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, from where the participants -- regular SCTIMST patients -- have been selected. The remaining 190 installations will follow shortly.
Joining Dr Harikrishnan on the study team are co-principal investigators Dr Jeemon Panniyammakal, Dr Sanjay and Dr Jyothi Vijay. The research is being carried out under the Indo- US collaborative agreement on environmental and occupational health.
Evidence linking fine particle pollution (PM2.5) to cardiovascular risks is growing. A recent AIIMS Delhi study revealed that even a slight rise in PM2.5 levels can elevate the risk of heart attacks the same day.
In India, the burden is stark: an estimated 70 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019 were attributed to PM2.5 exposure, amounting to 9,79,682 deaths nationwide, with 22% caused by ischemic heart disease, according to UNEP.
India also faces earlier onset of heart disease. “Heart conditions begin 10 to 12 years earlier in India compared to the United States,” Dr Harikrishnan pointed out.
