How Birth Season Affects Vulnerability to the Effect of Ambient Ozone Exposure on the Disease Burden of Hypertension in the Elderly Population in a Coastal City in South China

Assessing the Impact of Hypertension on Health-Related Quality of Life: Insights from Sociodemographic, Economic, and Clinical Features Using SF-36

Background: Hypertension significantly impacts the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients. This study evaluates the influence of sociodemographic, economic, and clinical features on HRQoL among hypertensive patients using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a public health center in Khamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia, where 209 adult hypertensive patients were surveyed using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic and clinical details, and multiple linear regression was used to analyze the associations between variables and the SF-36 domains. Results: Of the 209 participants, 122 (58.4%) were female and 87 (41.6%) were male. Complications and multiple antihypertensive medications were linked to poorer physical functioning and general health (p < 0.05). Salt restriction improved physical functioning (B = 12.339, p = 0.008), and exercise reduced body pain (B = -8.487, p = 0.038). Middle-income patients had higher vitality (B = 7.632, p = 0.038) and social functioning (B = 16.465, p = 0.035). Higher-income individuals showed lower social functioning (B = -12.323, p = 0.022). Conclusions: Age, income, marital status, and complications were key determinants of HRQoL in hypertensive patients. Lifestyle interventions like exercise and salt restriction improve physical functioning and reduce pain, while psychological and social support are vital for mental health. Tailored interventions addressing clinical and psychosocial support are crucial for optimizing HRQoL in this population.

The influence of NOx, temperature, wind and total radiation on the level of ozone concentration in the Upper Silesian agglomeration

In 2019, ozone was responsible for about 365,000 premature deaths worldwide (6.21 million healthy life years lost) and acute ozone exposure led to 16,800 premature deaths in the European Union. The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of NO, NO2, wind direction (WD) wind speed (WS), air temperature (TA), and total radiation (GLR) on ozone concentration levels. Data provided by 3 automatic air quality monitoring stations of the Regional Environmental Protection Inspectorate in Katowice, were used in this study. The measurements were conducted in from January 1 2009 to December 31 2017. The data obtained from the measuring stations were statistically analysed. The study showed that the strongest influencing factors for O3 values are air temperature and total radiation, with each showing a high correlation with ozone concentration. NO and NO2 had a dual effect on O3 concentration, causing an increase in ozone concentration at low NO and NO2 concentrations and a decrease in ozone concentration at higher NO and NO2 concentrations. We noted that the direction of the wind had very little effect on the concentration of O3. The influence of wind speed on the O3 level was also small, but stronger than that of the wind direction. The research shows that in the analysed years for selected measuring stations the strongest factors influencing O3 concentration are air temperature and total radiation, the NO and NO2 concentrations had a dualistic effect on the O3 concentration.

Burden of cardiovascular disease attributed to air pollution: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are estimated to be the leading cause of global death. Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to public health worldwide. It is considered a potentially modifiable environmental risk factor for CVDs because it can be prevented by adopting the right national and international policies. The present study was conducted to synthesize the results of existing studies on the burden of CVDs attributed to air pollution, namely prevalence, hospitalization, disability, mortality, and cost characteristics.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed in the Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases to identify studies, without time limitations, up to June 13, 2023. Exclusion criteria included prenatal exposure, exposure to indoor air pollution, review studies, conferences, books, letters to editors, and animal and laboratory studies. The quality of the articles was evaluated based on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Assessment Form, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and Drummond Criteria using a self-established scale. The articles that achieved categories A and B were included in the study.

RESULTS

Of the 566 studies obtained, based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 92 studies were defined as eligible in the present systematic review. The results of these investigations supported that chronic exposure to various concentrations of air pollutants, increased the prevalence, hospitalization, disability, mortality, and costs of CVDs attributed to air pollution, even at relatively low levels. According to the results, the main pollutant investigated closely associated with hypertension was PM2.5. Furthermore, the global DALY related to stroke during 2016-2019 has increased by 1.8 times and hospitalization related to CVDs in 2023 has increased by 8.5 times compared to 2014.

CONCLUSION

Ambient air pollution is an underestimated but significant and modifiable contributor to CVDs burden and public health costs. This should not only be considered an environmental problem but also as an important risk factor for a significant increase in CVD cases and mortality. The findings of the systematic review highlighted the opportunity to apply more preventive measures in the public health sector to reduce the footprint of CVDs in human society.

Association between maternal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure and newborn telomere length: Effect modification by birth seasons

BACKGROUND

Telomere length (TL) is an important biomarker of biological aging and disease that may be affected by prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants. Birth seasons have been linked to reproductive and immune-related diseases. Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) has been associated with adverse birth outcomes, but the effects of PFAS and birth seasons on newborn TL are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the individual and combined effects of maternal PFAS exposure on newborn TL, with exploration of the interaction between PFAS and birth seasons on newborn TL.

METHODS

Between June 2015 and May 2018, a total of 499 mother-newborn pairs were recruited for a birth cohort study in Guangxi, China. Maternal blood samples were collected during pregnancy. Nine PFASs were measured by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Newborn TL was assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Modeling newborn TL as the outcome, multivariable linear regressions were performed for individual PFAS exposures, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regressions were performed for PFAS mixtures. Furthermore, interaction analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect modification by birth seasons in these relationships.

RESULTS

For both single and multipollutant models, PFASs exposure were inversely associated with newborn TL, although none of the relationships were significant. The mixture of PFASs showed a potential positive trend of combined effect on newborn TL but non-statistically significant. Each ln-transformed unit concentration increase in PFOA was related to a 20.41% (95% CI: -30.44%, -8.93%) shorter TL in spring-born infants but not in those born in other birth seasons. Mothers in the middle and highest tertiles of PFOA exposure had 11.69% and 10.71% shorter TLs in spring-born infants, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Maternal PFAS exposure showed little association with newborn TL. The results suggested potential effect modification by birth season on the association between PFOA exposure and newborn TL.

The influencing factors of health-related quality of life among rural hypertensive individuals: a cross-sectional study

Background

Previous reports regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of hypertensive individuals commonly concentrated on urban population. This study focused on rural population and aimed to explore the influencing factors of HRQoL.

Methods

Date were derived from Henan Rural Cohort study. The HRQoL of participants were assessed via European Quality of Life Five Dimension Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5L) instrument. Tobit regression model and generalized linear model were employed to explore the influencing factors of HRQoL. Another binary logistic regression was utilized to examine the robustness of our results.

Results

Among 23,485 rural population, 8128 participants were identified with hypertension. The mean (SD) utility index and VAS score of non-hypertension group were 0.96 (0.09) and 79.66 (14.20), respectively, while in hypertension group were 0.94 (0.14) and 75.88 (15.50), respectively. Pain/discomfort was the most common self-reported problem (23.05%) for patients. Aging and suffering with other diseases were negatively associated with HRQoL among rural patients, while high socioeconomic status and healthy lifestyles corresponded with high HRQoL.

Conclusions

Hypertension did push considerable pressures on patients’ HRQoL. Maintaining healthy lifestyles and improving the socioeconomic status of patients were advisable ways to reduce this burden.

Trial registration The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12955-021-01879-6.

Impact of birth season on the years of life lost from respiratory diseases in the elderly related to ambient PM2.5 exposure in Ningbo, China

Background

Ambient fine particle (PM_2.5) pollution is an important public health problem in China. Short-term ambient PM_2.5 exposure is associated with increased mortality of respiratory diseases. However, few evidence was available on the effect of exposure to ambient PM_2.5 on the years of life lost (YLL) from respiratory diseases in the elderly. Furthermore, birth season which is frequently applied as a proxy for environmental exposure in early life may influence the health outcome in the later life. Nevertheless, the modification effect of birth season on the relationship of PM_2.5 exposure and respiratory health need to be explored.

Methods

A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to analyze YLL from respiratory diseases in the elderly related to ambient PM_2.5 exposure between 2013 and 2016 in Ningbo, China. The modification effect of birth season was explored by subgroup comparisons between different birth seasons.

Results

Each 10 μg/m³ increase in daily ambient PM_2.5 was associated with an increment of 1.61 (95% CI 0.12, 3.10) years in YLL from respiratory diseases in the elderly population. Individuals who were born in winter had significantly higher YLL from respiratory diseases associated with ambient PM_2.5 exposure than those who were born in other seasons.

Conclusions

Birth season which reflects the early-life PM_2.5 exposure level that may influence the lung development has a potential effect on the disease burden of respiratory diseases related to ambient PM_2.5 exposure in later life. The results would provide theoretical basis to protect vulnerable population defined by birth season when exploring the adverse effects of ambient PM_2.5 in the respiratory health.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12199-021-00994-6.

Ozone Concentration Levels in Urban Environments-Upper Silesia Region Case Study

Although ozone (O3) plays a crucial role in screening the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere layers from the ultraviolet radiation, troposphere ozone is proven to have negative health effects on the human body and is one of the greenhouse gases. The objective of this study was to perform a measurement-based assessment for determining whether the concentration of ozone is within admissible limits, or exceeded, in Silesia Province and does not pose a threat to the local population. The data provided by the Voivodship Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Katowice were used in the analysis. The received data constitute the result of 8-h measurements of concentrations of ozone at selected air monitoring stations of the Silesian province. The locations of three monitoring stations were found to be useful for the aim of this research; one site is situated in a rural background area; another one is located in a medium-sized city and the Katowice station is representative for an urban background situation. We used cluster analysis, weighted pair group method using arithmetic averages (WPGMA) and Chebyshev distances to test the hypothesis and compare empirical distributions in the general population. The alarm level has not been exceeded in indicated measurements stations in Silesian Voivodship in the period 2015-2017 (averaging time 1 h: 240 µg/m3 for 3 h). The target level was exceeded in 2015 at all three measurements stations and in the following years at one station (in Zloty Potok, 2016, and in Katowice, 2017). Each year, the largest number of exceedances occurred in August. The results clearly indicate a lack of hazards for the general population's health in terms of increased concentrations of ozone in the city centers and outside. The results confirm that environmental conditions (i.e., landform, the area surrounding monitoring station) have a significant influence on the ozone level.