Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis
Background Occupational biomass pollutant exposure as observed in charcoal workers may have significant cardiovascular effects. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension and high pulse pressure (HPP), a marker of arterial stiffness, in charcoal workers compared wit...
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease |
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| Online Access: | https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.038747 |
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| author | Pierre Lofuta Olenga Vuvu Malgorzata Klass Nathalie Pauwen Augustin Kipula Silvia Perez Bogerd Alain Van Muylem Philippe Van de Borne Gael Deboeck |
| author_facet | Pierre Lofuta Olenga Vuvu Malgorzata Klass Nathalie Pauwen Augustin Kipula Silvia Perez Bogerd Alain Van Muylem Philippe Van de Borne Gael Deboeck |
| author_sort | Pierre Lofuta Olenga Vuvu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Occupational biomass pollutant exposure as observed in charcoal workers may have significant cardiovascular effects. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension and high pulse pressure (HPP), a marker of arterial stiffness, in charcoal workers compared with a control group of agricultural workers from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods and Results The charcoal worker and agricultural worker groups (n=485; median age, 35–40 years) were composed of male charcoal producers (n=229), charcoal saleswomen (n=72), male farmers (n=118), and vegetable saleswomen (n=66). We assessed workplace air pollution, sociodemographic parameters, self‐reported physical activity, body composition, exhaled air carbon monoxide, and blood pressure. Hypertension and HPP prevalences were determined. Logistic regression, adjusted for confounding variables was used to identify the risk factors. Charcoal workplaces were more polluted than agricultural workplaces (P<0.01). Charcoal producers performed higher levels of physical activity (P=0.018) and demonstrated higher levels of exhaled air carbon monoxide (P<0.0001) and pulse pressure (P=0.006), and higher prevalence of grade 1 hypertension (P=0.007), isolated systolic hypertension (P=0.04), and HPP (P=0.02) than farmers. Overall, hypertension (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 11.76 [95% CI, 6.26–22.13]), level of particulate matter <10 μm pollutants (aOR, 1.001 [95% CI, 1.0002–1.0017]), smoking (aOR, 2.21 [95% CI, 1.15–4.24]) and low education (aOR, 2.14 [95% CI, 1.10–4.17]) were independently associated with HPP. The level of particulate matter <1.0 μm pollutants (aOR, 1.0009 [95% CI, 1.0002–1.0015]), male sex (aOR, 2.09 [95% CI, 1.21–3.64]), and job seniority (aOR, 1.022 [95% CI, 1.004–1.044]) were independently associated with isolated systolic hypertension. Conclusions Charcoal producers appear to develop isolated systolic hypertension and HPP more, both indices of cardiovascular events in which occupational biomass particles seem to play an early significant role. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-77bbc46792b541e5a0af36f2796c23b9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2047-9980 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease |
| spelling | doaj-art-77bbc46792b541e5a0af36f2796c23b92025-08-20T02:32:48ZengWileyJournal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease2047-99802025-05-01141010.1161/JAHA.124.038747Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional AnalysisPierre Lofuta Olenga Vuvu0Malgorzata Klass1Nathalie Pauwen2Augustin Kipula3Silvia Perez Bogerd4Alain Van Muylem5Philippe Van de Borne6Gael Deboeck7Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, University Clinics, Faculty of Medicine University of Kinshasa Democratic Republic of CongoResearch Unit in Biometry and Exercise Nutrition, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels BelgiumCardiopulmonary Exercise Laboratory, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels BelgiumCardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, University Clinics, Faculty of Medicine University of Kinshasa Democratic Republic of CongoPulmonology Department University Hospital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels BelgiumPulmonology Department University Hospital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels BelgiumCardiology Department University Hospital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels BelgiumResearch Unit in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels BelgiumBackground Occupational biomass pollutant exposure as observed in charcoal workers may have significant cardiovascular effects. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension and high pulse pressure (HPP), a marker of arterial stiffness, in charcoal workers compared with a control group of agricultural workers from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods and Results The charcoal worker and agricultural worker groups (n=485; median age, 35–40 years) were composed of male charcoal producers (n=229), charcoal saleswomen (n=72), male farmers (n=118), and vegetable saleswomen (n=66). We assessed workplace air pollution, sociodemographic parameters, self‐reported physical activity, body composition, exhaled air carbon monoxide, and blood pressure. Hypertension and HPP prevalences were determined. Logistic regression, adjusted for confounding variables was used to identify the risk factors. Charcoal workplaces were more polluted than agricultural workplaces (P<0.01). Charcoal producers performed higher levels of physical activity (P=0.018) and demonstrated higher levels of exhaled air carbon monoxide (P<0.0001) and pulse pressure (P=0.006), and higher prevalence of grade 1 hypertension (P=0.007), isolated systolic hypertension (P=0.04), and HPP (P=0.02) than farmers. Overall, hypertension (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 11.76 [95% CI, 6.26–22.13]), level of particulate matter <10 μm pollutants (aOR, 1.001 [95% CI, 1.0002–1.0017]), smoking (aOR, 2.21 [95% CI, 1.15–4.24]) and low education (aOR, 2.14 [95% CI, 1.10–4.17]) were independently associated with HPP. The level of particulate matter <1.0 μm pollutants (aOR, 1.0009 [95% CI, 1.0002–1.0015]), male sex (aOR, 2.09 [95% CI, 1.21–3.64]), and job seniority (aOR, 1.022 [95% CI, 1.004–1.044]) were independently associated with isolated systolic hypertension. Conclusions Charcoal producers appear to develop isolated systolic hypertension and HPP more, both indices of cardiovascular events in which occupational biomass particles seem to play an early significant role.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.038747Africabiomass occupational pollutioncharcoal workershypertensionpulse pressure |
| spellingShingle | Pierre Lofuta Olenga Vuvu Malgorzata Klass Nathalie Pauwen Augustin Kipula Silvia Perez Bogerd Alain Van Muylem Philippe Van de Borne Gael Deboeck Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Africa biomass occupational pollution charcoal workers hypertension pulse pressure |
| title | Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis |
| title_full | Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis |
| title_short | Hypertension and Elevated Pulse Pressure Responsive to Biomass Pollutants Exposures in Young Workers From the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis |
| title_sort | hypertension and elevated pulse pressure responsive to biomass pollutants exposures in young workers from the democratic republic of congo a cross sectional analysis |
| topic | Africa biomass occupational pollution charcoal workers hypertension pulse pressure |
| url | https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.038747 |
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