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A new study examines possible harm caused by microscopic pieces of plastic that end up inside people's bodies.
一项新的研究调查了最终进入人体内的微小塑料碎片可能会造成的危害。
These materials – known as microplastics and nanoplastics – can enter the body through the air or in food or drinks.
这些被称为微塑料和纳米塑料的材料可以通过空气或食物或饮料进入人体。
Tiny plastic pieces have received widespread attention in the media.
微小的塑料碎片受到了媒体的广泛关注。
But so far, very little research has been done on how the substances affect human heart health.
但到目前为止，关于这些物质如何影响人类心脏健康的研究还很少。
One new study suggests the buildup of such plastics inside the body can increase the risk of a stroke, heart attack or death.
一项新的研究表明，塑料碎片在体内堆积会增加中风、心脏病发作或死亡的风险。
But the researchers noted the evidence presented cannot prove a direct link between tiny plastic materials and heart problems.
但研究人员指出，目前的证据并不能证明微小的塑料材料和心脏问题之间存在直接联系。
The study involved 257 people who had medical operations to clear blocked blood vessels in their necks.
这项研究涉及257人，他们接受了清除颈部血管堵塞的手术。
Italian researchers examined the fatty buildup the doctors removed from the carotid arteries, which supply blood and oxygen to the brain.
意大利研究人员检查了医生从颈动脉移除的脂肪堆积物，颈动脉为大脑提供血液和氧气。
Using two methods, they found evidence of plastics – mostly nanoplastics that cannot be seen – in the artery plaque of 150 patients.
通过两种方法，他们在150名患者的动脉斑块中发现了塑料的证据，大多数是看不到的纳米塑料。
No evidence of plastics was seen in 107 patients.
在107名患者中没有发现塑料的证据。
The team followed these people for three years.
该研究小组对这些人进行了三年的跟踪调查。
During that time, 30 individuals, or 20 percent of the group with plastics, had a heart attack, stroke, or died from any cause.
在此期间，30人（20%体内含有塑料的患者）心脏病发作、中风或死于任何原因。
These rates dropped to about eight percent among those with no evidence of plastics.
在那些不含有塑料证据的人中，这一比例下降到了8%左右。
Research results were recently published in a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
研究结果最近发表在《新英格兰医学杂志》上的一篇研究论文中。
The researchers also found more evidence of inflammation in individuals with tiny plastic bits in their blood.
研究人员还在血液中含有微小塑料碎片的人身上发现了更多炎症的证据。
Inflammation is the body's reaction to injury and is thought to raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
炎症是身体对伤害的反应，被认为会增加心脏病发作和中风的风险。
The researchers admitted their study was very small.
研究人员承认，他们的研究规模很小。
For example, it only looked at people with narrowed arteries who were already at risk for heart attacks and stroke.
例如，它只研究了动脉狭窄的人，他们已经有心脏病发作和中风的风险。
And the patients with the plastics had more heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol than those without plastics.
与体内不含有塑料的患者相比，体内含有塑料的患者患心脏病、糖尿病和高胆固醇的几率更高。
They were also more likely to be men and more likely to be smokers.
他们也更有可能是男性，也更有可能是吸烟者。
Both of those groups generally have higher rates of heart disease.
这两种人群的心脏病发病率通常都较高。
The researchers tried to account for these risk differences.
研究人员试图解释这些风险差异。
But they noted they may have missed some important elements that could change the results.
但他们指出，他们可能遗漏了一些可能会改变结果的重要因素。
The team said because of these ongoing questions, this kind of study cannot prove the plastics caused the health problems.
该研究小组表示，由于这些持续存在的问题，这种研究无法证明塑料导致了健康问题。
Steve Nissen is a heart expert at the Cleveland Clinic in the state of Ohio who was not part of the study.
史蒂夫·尼森是俄亥俄州克利夫兰诊所的心脏专家，他没有参与这项研究。
He told the Associated Press he thinks the team's estimate that the risk of heart attack, stroke or death was four times greater seems too high.
他告诉美联社，他认为该研究小组估计的心脏病发作、中风或死亡的风险要高出四倍，这似乎太高了。
"It would mean that these microplastics are the most important cause of coronary heart disease yet discovered. And I just don't think that's likely to be right," Nissen said.
尼森说：“这意味着这些微塑料是迄今发现的导致冠心病的最重要原因。我认为这不太可能是正确的。”
Philip Landrigan of Boston College University told the AP that more research is needed on the issue.
波士顿学院的菲利普·兰德里根告诉美联社，需要对这个问题进行更多的研究。
Landrigan, who wrote about the study in the Journal, said it is the first one suggesting a connection between microplastics and nanoplastics with disease in humans.
兰德里根在《新英格兰医学杂志》上发表了关于这项研究的文章，他说，这是第一个提出微塑料和纳米塑料与人类疾病之间存在联系的研究。
Other scientists have found plastic bits in the lungs, liver, blood, placenta and breast milk.
其他科学家在肺、肝脏、血液、胎盘和母乳中发现了塑料碎片。
"It does not prove cause and effect, but it suggests cause and effect," Landrigan said. "And it needs urgently to be either replicated or disproven by other studies done by other investigators in other populations."
“这并不能证明因果关系，但它表明了因果关系，”兰德里根说。“这迫切需要被其他研究人员在其他人群中所做的其他研究所复制或反证。”
The Cleveland Clinic's Nissen added about the study, "It's a wake-up call that perhaps we need to take the problem of microplastics more seriously. As a cause for heart disease? Not proven. As a potential cause? Yes, maybe," Nissen said.
克利夫兰诊所的尼森补充说，“这项研究敲响了警钟，也许我们需要更认真地对待微塑料问题。它会导致心脏病吗？这还没有得到证实。是潜在的原因？是的，也许是。”
I'm Bryan Lynn.
布莱恩·林恩为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
