Short-term Exposure to Household Air Pollution and Risk of Hypertension Among Adults: A Pilot Study in Ibadan

Air pollution has been associated with elevated blood pressure in adults. Data on this association in Nigeria, with the highest level of pollution in Africa is sparsse. The present study investigated the association between short-term exposure to particulate matter air pollution and hypertension. We conducted a case-control study comprising of 25 adults with hypertension and 25 age-, sex- and geographical location-matched normotensive controls. All participants had 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring at the same time as indoor particulate matter monitoring using a real-time particle counter and compared with the WHO guideline limit (25μg/m3). All monitoring was carried out over 24 hours during the wet season. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval for the relationship between hypertension and particulate matter exposure was assessed at P 5 persons (aOR: 9.37; CI: 1.37 – 63.95) and PM2.5 > 25µg/m3 (aOR: 5.76; CI: 1.08 – 30.88) significantly increased the odds of hypertension. Short-term exposure to ambient PM air pollution was associated with a higher risk of hypertension. Air pollution reduction strategies may as well help in the prevention and control of hypertension. A large longitudinal study is needed to confirm these findings.