Impact of a cleaner-burning cookstove intervention on blood pressure in Nicaraguan women

Abstract

Few studies have evaluated the cardiovascular-related effects of indoor biomass burning or the role of characteristics such as age and obesity status, in this relationship. We examined the impact of a cleaner-burning cookstove intervention on blood pressure among Nicaraguan women using an open fire at baseline; we also evaluated heterogeneity of the impact by subgroups of the population. We evaluated changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure from baseline to post-intervention (range: 273–383 days) among 74 female cooks. We measured indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5; n=25), indoor carbon monoxide (CO; n=32), and personal CO (n=30) concentrations. Large mean reductions in pollutant concentrations were observed for all pollutants; for example, indoor PM2.5 was reduced 77% following the intervention. However, pollution distributions (baseline and post-intervention) were wide and overlapping. Although substantial reductions in blood pressure were not observed among the entire population, a 5.9 mmHg reduction (95% confidence interval [CI]: −11.3, −0.4) in systolic blood pressure was observed among women 40 or more years of age and a 4.6 mmHg reduction (95% CI: −10.0, 0.8) was observed among obese women. Results from this study provide an indication that certain subgroups may be more likely to experience improvements in blood pressure following a cookstove intervention.

Highway proximity and black carbon from cookstoves as a risk factor for higher blood pressure in rural China

“…Our results are consistent with several intervention studies in Latin America that found a decrease in SBP (∼3-6 mmHg) in older women who switched from a traditional open fire cookstove to a less-polluting chimney stove (40,41). Although blood pressure is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and overall global burden of disease (1), further research should assess the associations of BC with other health outcomes, including those in vulnerable populations like children.…”

A low-cost particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) monitor for wildland fire smoke

“…These emissions degrade visibility and contribute to human morbidity and premature mortality (Sakamoto et al, 2016;Silva et al, 2013). Human exposure to biomass burning emissions has been associated with respiratory outcomes such as asthma, bronchitis, and COPD (Atkinson et al, 2015;Cohen et al, 2005;Gan et al, 2013) and cardiovascular outcomes such as high blood pressure, stroke, and arrhythmia (Brook et al, 2004;Clark et al, 2013;Pope et al, 2004).…”

Indoor Air Pollution

“…Kalpana Balakrishnan provides an updated report on the situation focusing on India in this volume. More reports from Africa, Latin America [17,18] and Asia [19] have brought forward similar findings and led to a wide range of activities and changes, such as demonstrated in the pictures from a kitchen in San Carlos, Nicaragua (Figs. 2 and 3).…”