Evidence is limited regarding the acute effects of personal fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and its respiratory tract depositions on the alteration of children's blood pressure (BP). We conducted 2 longitudinal panel studies in 2 cities to evaluate the relations of 72-h real-time personal PM2.5 exposure and its depositions in 3 respiratory tract regions over different lag times with BP and the risk of prehypertension and hypertension among 286 children aged 4-12 years. We found the strongest effects of PM2.5 exposure on increased BP and risk of prehypertension and hypertension at lag 2 day, in dose-response manner, even when PM2.5 below Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standard (CAAQS) Grade II. Moreover, compared to PM2.5, tracheobronchial and alveolar depositions displayed more evident effects on BP outcomes. Interestingly, all above relationships were stronger among children in Guangzhou with lower PM2.5 and its deposited doses than those in Weinan. Additionally, boys and those with daily extra-school activity ≥ 1 h were more susceptible to PM2.5-induced BP effects with significant interactions. Our results highlighted that short-term PM2.5 exposure and its respiratory tract depositions were dose-responsive related to higher BP, prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension among children, even when PM2.5 below CAAQS II.
Keywords: Blood pressure; Fine particulate matter; Panel study; Prehypertension and hypertension; Respiratory tract deposition.
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