AUTHOR=Xia Zhiwei , Liu Yinjiang , Liu Chao , Dai Ziyu , Liang Xisong , Zhang Nan , Wu Wantao , Wen Jie , Zhang Hao 

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

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1247149

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1247149

ISSN=2296-2565

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.