As reported in the journal Circulation, Professor Steffen Petersen and colleagues studied data available for approximately 4,000 participants in the UK Biobank study who provided information on their lifestyle, health history and residential location.
They also had their blood tested and underwent health scans including an MRI scan to measure heart size, weight and function.
Although most participants did not live in major cities, a clear association was observed between living near busy roads and exposure to nitrogen oxide (NO2) or PM2.5 (small air pollution particles) and the development of larger heart ventricles, structural changes that are also seen in the early stages of heart failure.
