Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution associated with blood pressure and self-reported hypertension in a Danish cohort

TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution associated with blood pressure and self-reported hypertension in a Danish cohort

AU - Sørensen, Mette

AU - Hoffmann, Barbara

AU - Hvidberg, Martin

AU - Ketzel, Matthias

AU - Jensen, Steen Solvang

AU - Andersen, Zorana Jovanovic

AU - Tjønneland, Anne

AU - Overvad, Kim

AU - Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole

PY - 2012/3

Y1 - 2012/3

N2 - Background: Short-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with changes in blood pressure (BP) and emergency department visits for hypertension, but little is known about the effects of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution on BP and hypertension. Objectives: We studied whether long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with BP and hypertension. Methods: In 1993-1997, 57,053 participants 50-64 years of age were enrolled in a population-based cohort study. Systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP, respectively) were measured at enrollment. Self-reported incident hypertension during a mean follow-up of 5.3 years was assessed by questionnaire. We used a validated dispersion model to estimate residential long-term nitrogen oxides (NO x), a marker of traffic-related air pollution, for the 1- and 5-year periods prior to enrollment and before a diagnosis of hypertension. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of associations between air pollution and BP at enrollment with linear regression, adjusting for traffic noise, measured short-term NO x, temperature, relative humidity, and potential lifestyle confounders (n = 44,436). We analyzed incident hypertension with Cox regression, adjusting for traffic noise and potential confounders. Results: A doubling of NO x exposure during 1- and 5-year periods preceding enrollment was associated with 0.53-mmHg decreases [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.88, -0.19 mmHg] and 0.50-mmHg decreases (95% CI: -0.84, -0.16 mmHg) in SBP, respectively. Long-term exposure also was associated with a lower prevalence of baseline self-reported hypertension (per doubling of 5-year mean NO x: odds ratio = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.00), whereas long-term NO x exposure was not associated with incident self-reported hypertension during follow-up. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution was associated with a slightly lower prevalence of BP at baseline, but was not associated with incident hypertension.

AB - Background: Short-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with changes in blood pressure (BP) and emergency department visits for hypertension, but little is known about the effects of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution on BP and hypertension. Objectives: We studied whether long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with BP and hypertension. Methods: In 1993-1997, 57,053 participants 50-64 years of age were enrolled in a population-based cohort study. Systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP, respectively) were measured at enrollment. Self-reported incident hypertension during a mean follow-up of 5.3 years was assessed by questionnaire. We used a validated dispersion model to estimate residential long-term nitrogen oxides (NO x), a marker of traffic-related air pollution, for the 1- and 5-year periods prior to enrollment and before a diagnosis of hypertension. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of associations between air pollution and BP at enrollment with linear regression, adjusting for traffic noise, measured short-term NO x, temperature, relative humidity, and potential lifestyle confounders (n = 44,436). We analyzed incident hypertension with Cox regression, adjusting for traffic noise and potential confounders. Results: A doubling of NO x exposure during 1- and 5-year periods preceding enrollment was associated with 0.53-mmHg decreases [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.88, -0.19 mmHg] and 0.50-mmHg decreases (95% CI: -0.84, -0.16 mmHg) in SBP, respectively. Long-term exposure also was associated with a lower prevalence of baseline self-reported hypertension (per doubling of 5-year mean NO x: odds ratio = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.00), whereas long-term NO x exposure was not associated with incident self-reported hypertension during follow-up. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution was associated with a slightly lower prevalence of BP at baseline, but was not associated with incident hypertension.

KW - Air Pollutants

KW - Automobiles

KW - Blood Pressure

KW - Cities

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Denmark

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Hypertension

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Nitrogen Oxides

KW - Noise, Transportation

KW - Prevalence

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Regression Analysis

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Seasons

KW - Time Factors

KW - Vehicle Emissions

U2 - 10.1289/ehp.1103631

DO - 10.1289/ehp.1103631

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22214647

SN - 0091-6765

VL - 120

SP - 418

EP - 424

JO - Environmental Health Perspectives

JF - Environmental Health Perspectives

IS - 3

ER -