Acute effects of ambient particulate matter on blood pressure in office workers

Abstract

Exposure to ambient particulate matter with a diameter of <2.5 μm (PM_2.5) has been linked to increases in blood pressure. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of short-term exposure to PM_2.5 on blood pressure in office workers in Beijing, China. A total of 4801 individuals aged 18-60 years underwent an annual medical examination between 2013 and 2017. Levels of air pollutants were obtained from 35 fixed monitoring stations and correlated with the employment location of each participant to predict personal exposure via kriging interpolation. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate the changes in blood pressure associated with PM_2.5 exposure at various lag times. After adjusting for personal characteristics and other potential confounders, each interquartile range increase in PM_2.5 was associated with a 0.413-mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.252-0.573), 0.171-mmHg (95% CI: 0.053-0.288), 0.278-mmHg (95% CI: 0.152-0.404), and 0.241-mmHg (95% CI: 0.120-0.362) increase in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure, respectively (p < 0.05). Men, individuals previously diagnosed with hypertension, and subjects working in the northern districts of Beijing had larger changes in blood pressure, and the effect sizes were 0.477-mmHg (95% CI: 0.286-0.669), 0.851-mmHg (95% CI: 0.306-1.397, and 0.672-mmHg (95% CI: 0.405-0.940). The findings suggested that exposure to PM_2.5 had adverse effects on blood pressure, especially among males and hypertensive patients.

Keywords: Air pollution; Blood pressure; Fine particulate matter; Kriging interpolation method; Linear mixed-effects model.