Apollo Lunar Astronauts Show Higher Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Possible Deep Space Radiation Effects on the Vascular Endothelium

Michael D. Delp; Jacqueline M. Charvat; Charles L. Limoli; Ruth K. Globus; Payal Ghosh

doi:10.1038/srep29901

journal article Open Access Jul 28, 2016

Apollo Lunar Astronauts Show Higher Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Possible Deep Space Radiation Effects on the Vascular Endothelium

Michael D. Delp Jacqueline M. Charvat Charles L. Limoli

Ruth K. Globus Payal Ghosh

Scientific Reports Vol. 6 No. 1 · Springer Science and Business Media LLC

View at Publisher Save 10.1038/srep29901

Abstract

AbstractAs multiple spacefaring nations contemplate extended manned missions to Mars and the Moon, health risks could be elevated as travel goes beyond the Earth’s protective magnetosphere into the more intense deep space radiation environment. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether mortality rates due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, accidents and all other causes of death differ in (1) astronauts who never flew orbital missions in space, (2) astronauts who flew only in low Earth orbit (LEO) and (3) Apollo lunar astronauts, the only humans to have traveled beyond Earth’s magnetosphere. Results show there were no differences in CVD mortality rate between non-flight (9%) and LEO (11%) astronauts. However, the CVD mortality rate among Apollo lunar astronauts (43%) was 4–5 times higher than in non-flight and LEO astronauts. To test a possible mechanistic basis for these findings, a secondary purpose was to determine the long-term effects of simulated weightlessness and space-relevant total-body irradiation on vascular responsiveness in mice. The results demonstrate that space-relevant irradiation induces a sustained vascular endothelial cell dysfunction. Such impairment is known to lead to occlusive artery disease and may be an important risk factor for CVD among astronauts exposed to deep space radiation.

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Details

Published: Jul 28, 2016
Vol/Issue: 6(1)
License: View

Authors

M

Michael D. Delp

Health and Kinesiology, and; Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843

J

Jacqueline M. Charvat

C

Charles L. Limoli

Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, California

R

Ruth K. Globus

Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field; and

P

Payal Ghosh

Cite This Article

Michael D. Delp, Jacqueline M. Charvat, Charles L. Limoli, et al. (2016). Apollo Lunar Astronauts Show Higher Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Possible Deep Space Radiation Effects on the Vascular Endothelium. Scientific Reports, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29901

Apollo Lunar Astronauts Show Higher Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Possible Deep Space Radiation Effects on the Vascular Endothelium

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