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Research article2017Peer reviewedOpen access

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and traffic noise and incident hypertension in seven cohorts of the European study of cohorts for air pollution effects (ESCAPE)

Fuks, Kateryna B.; Weinmayr, Gudrun; Basagana, Xavier; Gruzieva, Olena; Hampel, Regina; Oftedal, Bente; Sorensen, Mette; Wolf, Kathrin; Aamodt, Geir; Aasvang, Gunn Marit; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Becker, Thomas; Beelen, Rob; Brunekreef, Bert; Caracciolo, Barbara; Cyrys, Josef; Elosua, Roberto; Eriksen, Kirsten Thorup; Foraster, Maria; Fratiglioni, Laura;
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Abstract

Aims We investigated whether traffic-related air pollution and noise are associated with incident hypertension in European cohorts.Methods and results We included seven cohorts of the European study of cohorts for air pollution effects (ESCAPE). We modelled concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <= 2.5 mu m (PM2.5), <= 10 mu m (PM10), >2.5, and <= 10 mu m (PMcoarse), soot (PM2.5 absorbance), and nitrogen oxides at the addresses of participants with land use regression. Residential exposure to traffic noise was modelled at the facade according to the EU Directive 2002/49/EC. We assessed hypertension as (i) self-reported and (ii) measured (systolic BP >= 140mmHg or diastolic BP >= 90mmHg or intake of BP lowering medication (BPLM). We used Poisson regression with robust variance estimation to analyse associations of traffic-related exposures with incidence of hypertension, controlling for relevant confounders, and combined the results from individual studies with random-effects meta-analysis. Among 41 072 participants free of self-reported hypertension at baseline, 6207 (15.1%) incident cases occurred within 5-9 years of follow-up. Incidence of self-reported hypertension was positively associated with PM2.5 (relative risk (RR) 1.22 [95%-confidence interval (CI): 1.08; 1.37] per 5 mu g/m(3)) and PM2.5 absorbance (RR 1.13 [95% CI: 1.02; 1.24] per 10(-5) m(-1)). These estimates decreased slightly upon adjustment for road traffic noise. Road traffic noise was weakly positively associated with the incidence of self-reported hypertension. Among 10 896 participants at risk, 3549 new cases of measured hypertension occurred. We found no clear associations with measured hypertension.Conclusion Long-term residential exposures to air pollution and noise are associated with increased incidence of self-reported hypertension.

Keywords

Hypertension; Air pollution; Particulate matter; Nitrogen oxides; Road traffic noise; Meta-analysis

Published in

European Heart Journal
2017, Volume: 38, number: 13, pages: 983-990
Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Environmental Health and Occupational Health
    Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehw413

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83985