Abstract
Background: Racial/ethnic disparities in blood pressure and hypertension have been evident in previous studies, as were associations between race/ethnicity with ambient air pollution and those between air pollution with hypertension. The role of air pollution exposure to racial/ethnic differences in hypertension has not been explored. Objective: To assess the potential mediating effects of ambient air pollution on the association between race/ethnicity and blood pressure levels. Methods: We studied 6,463 White, Black, Hispanic and Chinese adults enrolled across 6 US cities. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured at Exam 1 (2000–2002) and Exam 2 (2002–2004). Household-level annual average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen (NOX), and ozone (O3) for the year 2000 were estimated for participants. Results: The difference in SBP levels by race/ethnicity that was related to higher PM2.5 concentrations compared with White men (“indirect associations”) was 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6) mmHg for Black men, 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6) mmHg for Hispanic men and 1.0 (95% CI: 0.2, 1.8) mmHg for Chinese men. Findings were similar although not statistically significant for women. PM2.5 did not mediate racial/ethnic differences in DBP. Indirect associations were significant for O3 for SBP among women and men and for DBP among men. In contrast, racial/ethnic disparities were attenuated due to exposure to NOX. Conclusion: Racial disparities in blood pressure were reduced after accounting for PM2.5 and ozone while increased after accounting for NOX.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 108776 |
| Journal | Environmental research |
| Volume | 180 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2020 |
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Keywords
- Air pollution
- Blood pressure
- Disparities
- Hypertension
- Race/ethnicity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Environmental Science(all)
Cite this
Ambient air pollution as a mediator in the pathway linking race/ethnicity to blood pressure elevation : The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). / Song, Lanxin; Smith, Genee S.; Adar, Sara D.; Post, Wendy S.; Guallar, Eliseo; Navas-Acien, Ana; Kaufman, Joel D.; Jones, Miranda R.
In: Environmental research, Vol. 180, 108776, 01.2020.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Ambient air pollution as a mediator in the pathway linking race/ethnicity to blood pressure elevation
T2 - The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA)
AU - Song, Lanxin
AU - Smith, Genee S.
AU - Adar, Sara D.
AU - Post, Wendy S.
AU - Guallar, Eliseo
AU - Navas-Acien, Ana
AU - Kaufman, Joel D.
AU - Jones, Miranda R.
PY - 2020/1
Y1 - 2020/1
N2 - Background: Racial/ethnic disparities in blood pressure and hypertension have been evident in previous studies, as were associations between race/ethnicity with ambient air pollution and those between air pollution with hypertension. The role of air pollution exposure to racial/ethnic differences in hypertension has not been explored. Objective: To assess the potential mediating effects of ambient air pollution on the association between race/ethnicity and blood pressure levels. Methods: We studied 6,463 White, Black, Hispanic and Chinese adults enrolled across 6 US cities. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured at Exam 1 (2000–2002) and Exam 2 (2002–2004). Household-level annual average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen (NOX), and ozone (O3) for the year 2000 were estimated for participants. Results: The difference in SBP levels by race/ethnicity that was related to higher PM2.5 concentrations compared with White men (“indirect associations”) was 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6) mmHg for Black men, 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6) mmHg for Hispanic men and 1.0 (95% CI: 0.2, 1.8) mmHg for Chinese men. Findings were similar although not statistically significant for women. PM2.5 did not mediate racial/ethnic differences in DBP. Indirect associations were significant for O3 for SBP among women and men and for DBP among men. In contrast, racial/ethnic disparities were attenuated due to exposure to NOX. Conclusion: Racial disparities in blood pressure were reduced after accounting for PM2.5 and ozone while increased after accounting for NOX.
AB - Background: Racial/ethnic disparities in blood pressure and hypertension have been evident in previous studies, as were associations between race/ethnicity with ambient air pollution and those between air pollution with hypertension. The role of air pollution exposure to racial/ethnic differences in hypertension has not been explored. Objective: To assess the potential mediating effects of ambient air pollution on the association between race/ethnicity and blood pressure levels. Methods: We studied 6,463 White, Black, Hispanic and Chinese adults enrolled across 6 US cities. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured at Exam 1 (2000–2002) and Exam 2 (2002–2004). Household-level annual average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen (NOX), and ozone (O3) for the year 2000 were estimated for participants. Results: The difference in SBP levels by race/ethnicity that was related to higher PM2.5 concentrations compared with White men (“indirect associations”) was 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6) mmHg for Black men, 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6) mmHg for Hispanic men and 1.0 (95% CI: 0.2, 1.8) mmHg for Chinese men. Findings were similar although not statistically significant for women. PM2.5 did not mediate racial/ethnic differences in DBP. Indirect associations were significant for O3 for SBP among women and men and for DBP among men. In contrast, racial/ethnic disparities were attenuated due to exposure to NOX. Conclusion: Racial disparities in blood pressure were reduced after accounting for PM2.5 and ozone while increased after accounting for NOX.
KW - Air pollution
KW - Blood pressure
KW - Disparities
KW - Hypertension
KW - Race/ethnicity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85073445020&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85073445020&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108776
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108776
M3 - Article
C2 - 31639655
AN - SCOPUS:85073445020
VL - 180
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
SN - 0013-9351
M1 - 108776
ER -