title: Associations between Long-Term Air Pollutant Exposures and Blood Pressure in Elderly Residents of Taipei City: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited information is available regarding long-term effects of air pollution on blood pressure (BP) and hypertension.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We studied whether 1-year exposures to particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were correlated with BP and hypertension in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed cross-sectional data from 27,752 Taipei City residents > 65 years of age who participated in a health examination program in 2009. Land-use regression models were used to estimate participants' 1-year exposures to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10), coarse particles (PM2.5-10), fine particles (≤ 2.5 μm; PM2.5), PM2.5 absorbance, NOx, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Generalized linear regressions and logistic regressions were used to examine the association between air pollution and BP and hypertension, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diastolic BP was associated with 1-year exposures to air pollution, with estimates of 0.73 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44, 1.03], 0.46 (95% CI: 0.30, 0.63), 0.62 (95% CI: 0.24, 0.99), 0.34 (95% CI: 0.19, 0.50), and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.44, 0.85) mmHg for PM10 (10 μg/m3), PM2.5-10 (5 μg/m3), PM2.5 absorbance (10-5/m), NOx (20 μg/m3), and NO2 (10 μg/m3), respectively. PM2.5 was not associated with diastolic BP, and none of the air pollutants was associated with systolic BP. Associations of diastolic BP with PM10 and PM2.5 absorbance were stronger among participants with hypertension, diabetes, or a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 than among participants without these conditions. One-year air pollution exposures were not associated with hypertension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One-year exposures to PM10, PM2.5-10, PM2.5 absorbance, and NOx were associated with higher diastolic BP in elderly residents of Taipei.
authors: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Szu-Ying
authors: SY
authors: Chen
authors: Chang-Fu
authors: CF
authors: Wu
authors: Jui-Huan
authors: JH
authors: Lee
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Hoffmann
authors: Annette
authors: A
authors: Peters
authors: Bert
authors: B
authors: Brunekreef
authors: Da-Chen
authors: DC
authors: Chu
authors: Chang-Chuan
authors: CC
authors: Chan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000633:toxicity*; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D052638:Particulate Matter