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Background and aims: Despite firm evidence for an association between long-term ambient air pollution exposure and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, results from epidemiological studies on the association between air pollution exposure and atherosclerosis have not been consistent. We investigated associations between long-term low-level air pollution exposure and coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis in the large Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImaging Study (SCAPIS, n = 30 154), a random general population sample. Concentrations of total and locally emitted particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM_2.5), <10 μm (PM₁₀), and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) at the residential address were modelled using high-resolution dispersion models. We estimated associations between air pollution exposures and segment involvement score (SIS), coronary artery calcification score (CACS), number of non-calcified plaques (NCP), and number of significant stenoses, using ordinal regression models extensively adjusted for potential confounders.

Results: Median 10-year average PM_2.5 exposure was 6.2 μg/m³ (range 3.5–13.4 μg/m³). 51 % of participants were women and 51 % were never-smokers. None of the assessed pollutants were associated with a higher SIS or CACS. Exposure to PM_2.5 was associated with NCP (adjusted OR 1.34, 95 % CI 1.13, 1.58, per 2.05 μg/m³). Associations with significant stenoses were inconsistent.

Conclusions: In this large, middle-aged general population sample with low exposure levels, air pollution was not associated with measures of total burden of coronary atherosclerosis. However, PM_2.5 appeared to be associated with a higher prevalence of non-calcified plaques. The results suggest that increased risk of early-stage atherosclerosis or rupture, but not increased total atherosclerotic burden, may be a pathway for long-term air pollution effects on cardiovascular disease.