Lifetime air pollution exposure from prenatal to 18 years and cardiovascular health in young adulthood: findings from a UK birth cohort

AIMS: We assessed the association between air pollution from pregnancy (in utero) to 18 years and cardiovascular health markers in early adulthood.

METHODS: Data from 3,767 individuals from a UK birth cohort were used. We explored the associations between modelled fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and black carbon (BC) across an 18-year period and eight cardiovascular health markers measured at 18 year of age. Long-term exposure to air pollution was assessed by averaging the air pollutants over time and by creating air pollutant trajectories using latent class growth analysis. Linear regressions adjusted for potential confounders were used to assess the associations between air pollutants and cardiovascular health markers. Possible sensitive periods of exposure and sex differences in these associations were also explored.

RESULTS: Higher average levels of PM2.5 and NO2 were associated with higher peripheral (pDBP) and central diastolic blood pressure (cDBP); e.g., an interquartile range increase in PM2.5 was associated with 0.46 mmHg (95 %CI 0.14, 0.78) higher pDBP and 0.50 mmHg (95 %CI 0.17, 0.83) higher cDBP. Higher average PM2.5 levels were also associated with lower carotid intima-media thickness and higher BC levels were associated with higher heart rate (HR). Latent classes showed the same overall patterns of association, with the trajectory classes with the highest levels of air pollution exposure tending to have higher pDBP, cDBP and HR. There was little evidence of sensitive periods of exposure and sex differences in the associations.

CONCLUSIONS: Higher lifetime exposure to air pollution up to 18 years was associated with markers of poorer cardiovascular health in early adulthood.