Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) have implicated in cardiovascular disease in preclinical studies. Our objective is to investigate the relationship between MNPs in the coronary arteries and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with myocardial infarction (MI).We conducted a prospective observational study involving patients undergoing coronary angiography for MI. Coronary blood samples were analyzed for the presence of MNPs using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 142 patients were enrolled, with 110 completing a 31.5-month follow-up. Among them, 48 (43.6 %) had detectable polystyrene, 79 (71.8 %) had polyethylene, 105 (95.4 %) had polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and 68 (61.8 %) had polyamide 66 in their coronary blood. PVC concentration was higher in patients who experienced MACE. Furthermore, PVC levels were positively associated with proinflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α), and associated with higher odds of MACE (OR: 1.090, 95 %CI: 1.032-1.1523, P = 0.002). Notably, for each 10-unit increase in PVC, there was a 1.374-fold increase in the risk of MACE (OR=2.374, 95 %CI: 1.366-4.128, P = 0.002). Additionally, we collected blood and thrombus samples from an additional 21 MI patients, finding that PVC levels in coronary thrombi were positively correlated with inflammatory markers and monocyte/macrophage infiltration.

Background: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a cardiovascular catastrophe with substantial early mortality. Although ambient cold has been implicated as a trigger, existing evidence derives predominantly from temperate and subtropical settings. Populations enduring protracted severe winters–a hallmark of cold temperate zones–remain underrepresented, leaving the cardiovascular hazard of sustained extreme cold poorly defined. Methods: In this retrospective time-stratified case-crossover study, we analyzed 1 384 patients with AAD admitted to a tertiary cardiovascular center in Harbin, China–a city in the cold temperate zone of Northeast Asia with a harsh continental monsoon climate. Meteorological data (2014–2023) were interrogated using distributed lag non-linear models combined with conditional logistic regression to quantify exposure lag-response relationships between daily mean temperature and temperature change between neighboring days (TCN) with the AAD onset. Results: A near-linear increase in AAD risk was observed with decreasing daily mean temperature, with minimum morbidity at 25.9 °C. Extreme cold (−23.4 °C, 1st percentile) raised the risk significantly within 3 days. A pronounced risk elevation followed temperature drops between consecutive days–a decline of 9.2 °C was associated with a RR of 9.57 (95% CI 1.21–75.76). In contrast, temperature rises conferred protection. These effects were accentuated in winter and during the period of centralized indoor heating. Conclusion: In a cold temperate region marked by severe winters, both low ambient temperature and abrupt cooling act as potent environmental triggers for AAD. These findings call for enhanced clinical awareness and tailored preventive measures during cold exposure in such climates.