Stress and Lead Exposure's Impact on Blood Pressure
Author Information
Author(s): Junenette L. Peters, Laura Kubzansky, Eileen McNeely, Joel Schwartz, Avron Spiro III, David Sparrow, Robert O. Wright, Huiling Nie, Howard Hu
Primary Institution: Harvard School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Older men reporting high stress would have a steeper dose response to the effect of bone lead on baseline hypertension status and blood pressure compared with subjects reporting low stress.
Conclusion
The study found that the effect of lead on hypertension is most pronounced among highly stressed individuals.
Supporting Evidence
- Lead exposure and psychological stress have been independently associated with hypertension.
- High stress modified the effect of tibia lead on the risk of developing hypertension.
- Those reporting high stress had 2.66 times the risk of developing hypertension per standard deviation increase in tibia lead.
Takeaway
This study shows that stress can make the harmful effects of lead on blood pressure worse, especially in older men.
Methodology
The study evaluated the modifying effect of stress on lead exposure on baseline hypertension status and blood pressure using cross-sectional and prospective analyses.
Potential Biases
Residual confounding remains possible, and other important variables may not have been considered.
Limitations
The study may have limited generalizability due to its predominantly male and white cohort.
Participant Demographics
The mean age of participants was 66.9 years, and the cohort was predominantly male and white.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 1.43–4.95
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website