Leukocyte Traits and Exposure to Ambient Particulate Matter Air Pollution in the Women’s Health Initiative and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Background: Inflammatory effects of ambient particulate matter (PM) air pollution exposures may underlie PM-related increases in cardiovascular disease risk and mortality, although evidence of PM-associated leukocytosis is inconsistent and largely based on small, cross-sectional, and/or unrepresentative study populations. Objectives: Our objective was to estimate PM–leukocyte associations among U.S. women and men in the Women’s Health Initiative...