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Cardiovascular FunctionBioTrackNCT03104387

Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Combustion Particles - a Study on Volunteers Performing as Train Conductors

A study testing Electric train and Diesel train in people with Cardiovascular Function and Genotoxicity, run by University of Copenhagen at 1 site in Denmark.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Ambient air pollution is a complex mixture of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM). PM has a recognized important role in human health. There is a strong scientific consensus on the independent association of PM and adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects, as well as cancer. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Cardiovascular Function, Genotoxicity
What is being tested?
Electric train and Diesel train
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
29 participants
Where
1 siteDenmark
Study dates
16 May 2017to 1 May 2020
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Healthy volunteers
  • Legally competent subjects

Who cannot join

  • Current smokers
  • Pregnancy
  • Alcohol and drug abuse
  • Prescriptionary use of anti-inflammatory or cardiovascular medication

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Denmark1 site
  • University of Copenhagen

    Copenhagen

Other trials in Denmark

About this study

Official title: Effects of Diesel Combustion Generated Air Pollution on Cardiovascular Function and Oxidatively Damaged DNA in Healthy Volunteers

Ambient air pollution is a complex mixture of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM). PM has a recognized important role in human health. There is a strong scientific consensus on the independent association of PM and adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects, as well as cancer. It is reasonable to expect that the smaller particles (ultrafine particles, UFP) may have an enhanced toxicity relative to other PM size fractions, due to physical properties and potential to translocation beyond the lung.

A recent Danish report concluded that train conductors on a working day, and in two specific diesel engine trains, are exposed to higher concentrations of diesel exhaust than by constant stay in a busy street. Indeed, the average exposure for train conductors on such engines was around 100,000-150,000 UFP per cm3 as compared with around 40,000 per cm3 on a busy street in Copenhagen [1]. The aim of this study is to investigate if this occupational exposure is associated with vascular and respiratory impairment and DNA damage.

Being tested
Electric train, Diesel train
Keywords
Air pollution, Diesel exhaust, Ultrafine particles, Vascular function, Endothelium function, Heart rate variability, DNA damage

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Electric trainOther

    Exposure to air with low level of ultrafine particles (Electric train)

  • Diesel trainOther

    Exposure to air with high level of ultrafine particles (Diesel train)

Study groups in NCT03104387
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Diesel train - exposure scenarioExperimentalThe same study person will be exposed to two different scenarios, at different times and for three consecutive days. It will be a lag time of 2 weeks between each exposure scenario. The "exposure" scenario is defined as a workday (6 hours) on the diesel ME-driven model regional train. The Diesel Train Scenario is performed twice. After the scenario completion (on the third day in defined train routes) the vascular function, lung function, blood and urine samplings are performed.
Receives: Other: Diesel train
Electric train - low exposure scenarioSham comparatorThe same study person will be exposed to two different scenarios, at different times and for three consecutive days. It will be a lag time of 2 weeks between each exposure scenario. The "low exposure" scenario is defined as a workday (6 hours) on the electric train. The Diesel Train Scenario is performed twice. After the scenario completion (on the third day in defined train routes) the vascular function, lung function, blood and urine samplings are performed.
Receives: Other: Electric train

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Reactive hyperemia index measured by peripheral arterial tonometry

    The primary outcome will be measured in the form of post-ischemic variation followed by the measurement of the vasomotor function after the administration of nitroglycerin, to allow the investigation of the endothelium independent vasodilatation. The portable device EndoPAT 2000 will be used (Itamar Medical Ltd, Israel) [2-6].

    Measured: Peripheral arterial tonometry is assessed after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day)

  2. Heart rate variability

    Heart rate variability is measured with the EndoPAT 2000 device during baseline recording. It includes time domain measures (SDNN, pNN50 and RMSSD), high (HF) and low frequency (LF) components as well as LF/HF ratio, based on measurements over 5 minutes.

    Measured: Assessed after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day)

  3. DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

    The levels of strand breaks and formamidopyrimidine-DNA-glycosylase (FPG) sites are measured with the single cell gel electrophoresis assay (comet assay) [7-13]

    Measured: Blood is sampled, prepared and stored after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day). Analysis is performed after sample collection completion.

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Lung function

    The lung function is measured with EasyOne 2001 spirometer device (Switzerland). Lung function measurements includes forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume after 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and FEV1/FVC.

    Measured: The lung function is assessed after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day)

  2. Systemic inflammatory markers

    Acute phase reactants, pro-inflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecules

    Measured: Blood is sampled, prepared and stored after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day). Analysis is performed after sample collection completion.

  3. Urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene

    The urinary biomarker of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 1-hydroxypyrene, is measured with reverse-phase HPLC and standardized for diuresis with the concentration of creatinine

    Measured: Morning urine is sampled, prepared and stored after each exposure scenario (on the morning of the third day after two days with 6 hours on defined train routes). Analysis is performed after sample collection completion.

  4. Serum/plasma bioactivity

    To assess the potential effects on vascular and endothelial function [14, 15]

    Measured: Blood is sampled, prepared and serum is stored after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day). Analysis is performed after sample collection completion.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted7 Apr 2017
  2. Study start16 May 2017
  3. Primary completion30 Sep 2018
  4. Study completion1 May 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
29 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03104387
Sponsor's protocol ID
H-16033227
Other IDs
No grant number, 2015-57-0121 case SUND-2016-80, H-16033227
Acronym
BioTrack
Status last verified
Aug 2020
First submitted
23 Mar 2017
Last updated
10 Aug 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Karottki G, Loft S. Rapport vedroerende maaling af udsaettelse for ultrafine partikler blandt ansatte i DSB, 1-48, 2015.

  • Brauner EV, Forchhammer L, Moller P, Barregard L, Gunnarsen L, Afshari A, Wahlin P, Glasius M, Dragsted LO, Basu S, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Loft S. Indoor particles affect vascular function in the aged: an air filtration-based intervention study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2008 Feb 15;177(4):419-25. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200704-632OC. Epub 2007 Oct 11.

    PubMed 17932377
  • Olsen Y, Karottki DG, Jensen DM, Beko G, Kjeldsen BU, Clausen G, Hersoug LG, Holst GJ, Wierzbicka A, Sigsgaard T, Linneberg A, Moller P, Loft S. Vascular and lung function related to ultrafine and fine particles exposure assessed by personal and indoor monitoring: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health. 2014 Dec 15;13:112. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-13-112.

    PubMed 25512042
  • Karottki DG, Spilak M, Frederiksen M, Gunnarsen L, Brauner EV, Kolarik B, Andersen ZJ, Sigsgaard T, Barregard L, Strandberg B, Sallsten G, Moller P, Loft S. An indoor air filtration study in homes of elderly: cardiovascular and respiratory effects of exposure to particulate matter. Environ Health. 2013 Dec 28;12:116. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-12-116.

    PubMed 24373585
  • Hemmingsen JG, Rissler J, Lykkesfeldt J, Sallsten G, Kristiansen J, Moller P P, Loft S. Controlled exposure to particulate matter from urban street air is associated with decreased vasodilation and heart rate variability in overweight and older adults. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2015 Mar 19;12:6. doi: 10.1186/s12989-015-0081-9.

    PubMed 25890359
  • Brauner EV, Moller P, Barregard L, Dragsted LO, Glasius M, Wahlin P, Vinzents P, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Loft S. Exposure to ambient concentrations of particulate air pollution does not influence vascular function or inflammatory pathways in young healthy individuals. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2008 Oct 6;5:13. doi: 10.1186/1743-8977-5-13.

    PubMed 18837984
  • Forchhammer L, Moller P, Riddervold IS, Bonlokke J, Massling A, Sigsgaard T, Loft S. Controlled human wood smoke exposure: oxidative stress, inflammation and microvascular function. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2012 Mar 27;9:7. doi: 10.1186/1743-8977-9-7.

    PubMed 22452928
  • Brauner EV, Forchhammer L, Moller P, Simonsen J, Glasius M, Wahlin P, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Loft S. Exposure to ultrafine particles from ambient air and oxidative stress-induced DNA damage. Environ Health Perspect. 2007 Aug;115(8):1177-82. doi: 10.1289/ehp.9984.

    PubMed 17687444
  • Danielsen PH, Brauner EV, Barregard L, Sallsten G, Wallin M, Olinski R, Rozalski R, Moller P, Loft S. Oxidatively damaged DNA and its repair after experimental exposure to wood smoke in healthy humans. Mutat Res. 2008 Jul 3;642(1-2):37-42. doi: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2008.04.001. Epub 2008 Apr 14.

    PubMed 18495177
  • Hemmingsen JG, Jantzen K, Moller P, Loft S. No oxidative stress or DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells after exposure to particles from urban street air in overweight elderly. Mutagenesis. 2015 Sep;30(5):635-42. doi: 10.1093/mutage/gev027. Epub 2015 Apr 22.

    PubMed 25904586
  • Moller P, Danielsen PH, Karottki DG, Jantzen K, Roursgaard M, Klingberg H, Jensen DM, Christophersen DV, Hemmingsen JG, Cao Y, Loft S. Oxidative stress and inflammation generated DNA damage by exposure to air pollution particles. Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res. 2014 Oct-Dec;762:133-66. doi: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2014.09.001. Epub 2014 Sep 16.

    PubMed 25475422
  • Moller P, Hemmingsen JG, Jensen DM, Danielsen PH, Karottki DG, Jantzen K, Roursgaard M, Cao Y, Kermanizadeh A, Klingberg H, Christophersen DV, Hersoug LG, Loft S. Applications of the comet assay in particle toxicology: air pollution and engineered nanomaterials exposure. Mutagenesis. 2015 Jan;30(1):67-83. doi: 10.1093/mutage/geu035.

    PubMed 25527730
  • Moller P, Loft S. Oxidative damage to DNA and lipids as biomarkers of exposure to air pollution. Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Aug;118(8):1126-36. doi: 10.1289/ehp.0901725. Epub 2010 Apr 27.

    PubMed 20423813
  • Aragon M, Erdely A, Bishop L, Salmen R, Weaver J, Liu J, Hall P, Eye T, Kodali V, Zeidler-Erdely P, Stafflinger JE, Ottens AK, Campen MJ. MMP-9-Dependent Serum-Borne Bioactivity Caused by Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Exposure Induces Vascular Dysfunction via the CD36 Scavenger Receptor. Toxicol Sci. 2016 Apr;150(2):488-98. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfw015. Epub 2016 Jan 21.

    PubMed 26801584
  • Aragon MJ, Chrobak I, Brower J, Roldan L, Fredenburgh LE, McDonald JD, Campen MJ. Inflammatory and Vasoactive Effects of Serum Following Inhalation of Varied Complex Mixtures. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2016 Apr;16(2):163-71. doi: 10.1007/s12012-015-9325-z.

    PubMed 25900702

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Electric train and Diesel train in people with Cardiovascular Function and Genotoxicity, run by University of Copenhagen at 1 site in Denmark.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Aug 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Denmark. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Reactive hyperemia index measured by peripheral arterial tonometry (time frame: Peripheral arterial tonometry is assessed after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03104387, which also lists 16 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Aug 2020.

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