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. 2024 Feb 15:12:1247149.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1247149. eCollection 2024.

The causal effect of air pollution on the risk of essential hypertension: a Mendelian randomization study

Zhiwei Xia #  1 , Yinjiang Liu #  2 , Chao Liu  3 , Ziyu Dai  4   5 , Xisong Liang  4   5 , Nan Zhang  6 , Wantao Wu  7 , Jie Wen  4   5 , Hao Zhang  2
Affiliations

The causal effect of air pollution on the risk of essential hypertension: a Mendelian randomization study

Zhiwei Xia et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Air pollution poses a major threat to human health by causing various illnesses, such as cardiovascular diseases. While plenty of research indicates a correlation between air pollution and hypertension, a definitive answer has yet to be found.

Methods: Our analyses were performed using the Genome-wide association study (GWAS) of exposure to air pollutants from UKB (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and NOX; n = 423,796 to 456,380), essential hypertension from FinnGen (42,857 cases and 162,837 controls) and from UKB (54,358 cases and 408,652 controls) as a validated cohort. Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) were conducted to investigate the causal relationship between air pollutants and essential hypertension. Body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake frequency, and the number of cigarettes previously smoked daily were included in multivariable MRs (MVMRs) as potential mediators/confounders.

Results: Our findings suggested that higher levels of both PM2.5 (OR [95%CI] per 1 SD increase in predicted exposure = 1.24 [1.02-1.53], p = 3.46E-02 from Finn; OR [95%CI] = 1.04 [1.02-1.06], p = 7.58E-05 from UKB) and PM10 (OR [95%CI] = 1.24 [1.02-1.53], p = 3.46E-02 from Finn; OR [95%CI] = 1.04 [1.02-1.06], p = 7.58E-05 from UKB) were linked to an increased risk for essential hypertension. Even though we used MVMR to adjust for the impacts of smoking and drinking on the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and essential hypertension risks, our findings suggested that although there was a direct positive connection between them, it is not present after adjusting BMI (OR [95%CI] = 1.05 [0.87-1.27], p = 6.17E-01). Based on the study, higher exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 increases the chances of developing essential hypertension, and this influence could occur through mediation by BMI.

Conclusion: Exposure to both PM2.5 and PM10 is thought to have a causal relationship with essential hypertension. Those impacted by substantial levels of air pollution require more significant consideration for their cardiovascular health.

Keywords: Mendelian randomization (MR); PM10; PM2.5; air pollution; hypertension.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overview of the Mendelian randomization study of the causal relationship between air pollution and hypertension.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of the association between air pollutants and hypertension using Univariable Mendelian randomization. OR means odds ratio. TRUE represents the causal association between the air pollutant and hypertension. FALSE represents no significant causal association between the air pollutant and hypertension.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot of the association between air pollutants and hypertension using multivariable Mendelian randomization after adjusting alcohol, BMI, and smoking. OR means odds ratio. TRUE represents the causal association between the air pollutant and hypertension. FALSE represents no significant causal association between the air pollutant and hypertension.
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