Review article2014Peer reviewedOpen access
Arterial Blood Pressure and Long-Term Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution: An Analysis in the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE)
Fuks, Kateryna B.; Weinmayr, Gudrun; Foraster, Maria; Dratva, Julia; Hampel, Regina; Houthuijs, Danny; Oftedal, Bente; Oudin, Anna; Panasevich, Sviatlana; Penell, Johanna; Sommar, Johan N.; Sorensen, Mette; Tiittanen, Pekka; Wolf, Kathrin; Xun, Wei W.; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Basagana, Xavier; Beelen, Rob; Bots, Michiel L.; Brunekreef, Bert;
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Long-term exposure to air pollution has been hypothesized to elevate arterial blood pressure (BP). The existing evidence is scarce and country specific.OBJECTIVES: We investigated the cross-sectional association of long-term traffic-related air pollution with BP and prevalent hyper-tension in European populations.METHODS: We analyzed 15 population-based cohorts, participating in the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE). We modeled residential exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides with land use regression using a uniform protocol. We assessed traffic exposure with traffic indicator variables. We analyzed systolic and diastolic BP in participants medicated and nonmedicated with BP-lowering medication (BPLM) separately, adjusting for personal and area-level risk factors and environmental noise. Prevalent hyper-tension was defined as >= 140 mmHg systolic BP, or >= 90 mmHg diastolic BP, or intake of BPLM. We combined cohort-specific results using random-effects meta-analysis.RESULTS: In the main meta-analysis of 113,926 participants, traffic load on major roads within 100 m of the residence was associated with increased systolic and diastolic BP in nonmedicated participants [0.35 mmHg (95% CI: 0.02, 0.68) and 0.22 mmHg (95% CI: 0.04, 0.40) per 4,000,000 vehicles x m/day, respectively]. The estimated odds ratio (OR) for prevalent hyper-tension was 1.05 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.11) per 4,000,000 vehicles x m/day. Modeled air pollutants and BP were not clearly associated.CONCLUSIONS: In this first comprehensive meta-analysis of European population-based cohorts, we observed a weak positive association of high residential traffic exposure with BP in nonmedicated participants, and an elevated OR for prevalent hyper-tension. The relationship of modeled air pollutants with BP was inconsistent.
Published in
Environmental Health Perspectives
2014, Volume: 122, number: 9, pages: 896-905
Publisher: US DEPT HEALTH HUMAN SCIENCES PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE
UKÄ Subject classification
Environmental Sciences
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307725
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/96017