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Association of long-term exposure to PM2.5 with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure in China: a cross-sectional study

Song J, Gao Y, Hu S, Medda E, Tang G, Zhang D, Zhang W, Li X et al.

BMJ open, 2021

883 participants

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Evidence of the effects of long-term fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on hypertension and blood pressure is limited for populations exposed to high levels of PM2.5. We aim to assess associations of long-term exposure to PM2.5 with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure, and further explore the subpopulation differences and effect modification by participant characteristics in these associations in China.

METHODS: We analysed cross-sectional data from 883 827 participants aged 35-75 years in the China Patient-Centred Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Million Persons Project. Data from the monitoring station were used to estimate the 1-year average concentration of PM2.5. The associations of PM2.5 exposure with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure were investigated by generalised linear models, with PM2.5 included as either linear or spline functions.

RESULTS: The 1-year PM2.5 exposure of the study population ranged from 8.8 to 93.8 µg/m3 (mean 49.2 µg/m3). The adjusted OR of hypertension prevalence related to a 10 μg/m3 increase in 1-year PM2.5 exposure was 1.04 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.05). Each 10 μg/m3 increment in PM2.5 exposure was associated with increases of 0.19 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.10 to 0.28) and 0.13 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.08 to 0.18) in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. The concentration-response curves for hypertension prevalence and systolic blood pressure showed steeper slopes at higher PM2.5 levels; while…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 883 participants or records.

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