Blood pressure and particulate air pollution in schoolchildren of Lahore, Pakistan

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 378
• Main Authors: Sughis, Muhammad, Nawrot, Tim S, Ihsan-ul-Haque, Syed, Amjad, Asad, Nemery, Benoit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 25.05.2012; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Anthropometry; Blood pressure; Blood Pressure - physiology; Child; Elementary school students; Emerging markets; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Hypertension - epidemiology; Inhalation Exposure - adverse effects; Inhalation Exposure - analysis; Logistic Models; Male; Noise - adverse effects; Pakistan - epidemiology; Particulate Matter - adverse effects; Particulate Matter - analysis; Physiological aspects; Recreation; Schools - statistics & numerical data; Sex Distribution; Smoking; Social Class; Students - statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; Vehicle Emissions - toxicity; Pakistan
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-378

Air pollution is a growing health problem for urban populations in emerging economies. The present study examines the (cross-sectional) relation between blood pressure and particulate air pollution in schoolchildren of Lahore (Pakistan). We recruited a sample of 8-12 year-old children (mean age 9.9 years; 45% girls) from two schools in Lahore situated in areas with low (n = 79) and high (n = 100) air pollution, respectively. During the study period (January-April 2009) particulate pollution [PM(10) and PM(2.5) i.e. particles with aerodynamic diameters below 10 μm or 2.5 μm, respectively] was measured at the school sites with a laser operated device (Metone Aerocet 531). Blood pressure was measured, after 5 minutes of sitting rest, using an automated device (average of 5 consecutive measurements). Spot urine samples were also collected and concentrations of Na and K were measured. Mean daily values of PM2.5 were 28.5 μg/m(3) (SD: 10.3) and 183 μg/m(3) (SD: 30.2), in the low and high pollution areas, respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher in children living in the high pollution area (115.9/70.9 mm Hg) than in the low pollution area (108.3/66.4 mm Hg), independently of age, gender, height, weight, socio-economic status, passive smoking and the urinary concentrations of Na, K, and creatinine. In 8-12 year-old children, exposure to (traffic-related) air pollution was associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These findings, if they persist, might have clinical relevance at older age.