Ultrafine particles in air may increase 24-hour, diurnal DBP

An increase in ultrafine particles (UFP) concentrations during the day prior to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) appears to elevate the 24-hour and diurnal diastolic (D)BP, a study has shown.

“Some studies have reported that UFP play a greater role in cardiovascular diseases than other particle matter, particularly regarding hypertensive crises and DBP, although in the latter such effects were described concerning clinical BP,” the authors said.

This observational study assessed the association between 24-hour ABPM and atmospheric UFP concentrations in Barcelona, Spain. The authors analysed temporal and geographical characteristics of individual patients attending in Primary Care Centres and Hypertensive Units during 2009 to 2014.

A total of 521 hypertensive patients (mean age, 56.8 years; 52.4 percent women) were included in the analysis. Participants had a mean BMI of 28.0 kg/m². The most common cardiovascular risk factors were diabetes in 66 patients (12.7 percent) and smoking in 79 (15.2 percent).

UFP effects were characterized at short term and up to 1 week (from lag 0 to 7). Each 10,000 particle/cm³ UFP increase measured at an urban background site corresponded to a statistically significant elevation of 2.7 mm Hg (95 percent confidence interval, 0.5–4.8) in 24-hour DBP with ABPM for the following day.

“It has been increasingly demonstrated that UFP play a key role in cardiovascular risk factors and, as we have demonstrated, in good BP control,” the authors said.

Urban areas are notorious for air contaminated with particle matter, and high concentrations could lead to a rise in the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, they added.