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The introduction of portable home air purifiers can significantly improve certain markers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, according to a six-month study from Johns Hopkins University.

COPD can cause debilitating symptoms including shortness of breath and chronic cough. Air pollution in the home has been found to contribute to respiratory health impairment, the researchers said.

“We hypothesized that this pollution is a big driver of cardiovascular disease and cardiac events in people with COPD,” said Sarath Raju, MD, MPH, a specialist in obstructive lung diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Indoor air pollutants

The study involved 85 patients with COPD from the CLEAN AIR study. The patients’ average age was 65 and participants lived primarily in the Baltimore area. A healthy level of air pollutants called particulate matter 2.5, such as mold and pet dander, should stay at or below 12 micrograms per cubic foot indoors, the researchers said. 

About half of the participants received two portable air cleaners with HEPA and carbon filters to use in the home, and the other participants received placebo air cleaners. Lung and heart health measures were taken at three time points during the study period.

All 46 participants whose devices had active HEPA and carbon filters had improved markers of heart health after six months. This included a 25% increase in heart rate variability, a common measure of heart health. The placebo cohort, meanwhile, saw no improvement in heart health markers.

Inflammation

The researchers also reported a correlation between an increase in ultrafine particles and poorer heart health markers, such as lower heart rate variability.

“These particles and other indoor air pollutants can cause systemic inflammation in susceptible patients like those with COPD. Our study shows there’s a negative impact on cardiovascular health, as well,” reported Meredith McCormack, MD, also of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

The results underscore the importance of home environments on lung health, Raju added. If confirmed by future studies, air cleaners may be a useful prescription for COPD patients along with their medications, the researchers concluded. 

Full findings were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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