title: Higher outdoor temperatures are progressively associated with lower blood pressure: a longitudinal study in 100,000 healthy individuals.
abstract: This study investigated the shape of associations between climate parameters (mean daily temperature and humidity) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in a large longitudinal cohort of healthy individuals. The study population comprised 101,377 Dutch whole blood and plasma donors (50% men), who made 691,107 visits to the blood bank between 2007 and 2009. Climate parameters were acquired from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Associations with blood pressure, measured prior to each blood donation, were studied using (piecewise) linear regression analyses within Generalized Estimating Equation models. On average, systolic blood pressure was 0.18 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure was 0.11 mm Hg lower per one degree Celsius higher mean daily temperature. Higher daily temperatures were associated with lower blood pressure, independent of humidity and potentially confounding factors. These associations were stronger at older age and higher temperatures. Seasonality should therefore be taken into account when monitoring blood pressure, particularly in older individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: k.vandenhurk@sanquin.nl.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van den Hurk
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim L A M
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: de Kort
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deinum
authors.affiliation: Department of Donor Studies, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Femke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atsma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001782:Blood Donors; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins
keywords: Epidemiology; climate parameters; humidity; observational data