Short-term effects of ambient temperature on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Main Authors: Dandan Xu, Fangchao Liu, Jie Ban, Yi Zhang, Tiantian Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
• Series: Cardiology Plus
• Subjects: Blood pressure; hypertension; meta-analysis; temperature
• Online Access: http://www.cardiologyplus.org/article.asp?issn=2470-7511;year=2017;volume=2;issue=3;spage=18;epage=25;aulast=Xu

Background: Hypertension is a major worldwide public health problem. Previous studies have indicated that ambient temperature is associated with blood pressure (BP), but the nature of this association remains unclear. Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the relationship between ambient temperature and BP. Methods: We performed a systematic search of the literature indexed in PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect between 1980 and 2016. The pooled effect sizes for exposure to low/moderate temperatures, as well as high-temperature exposure, were calculated using a random-effects model. Results: Fifteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. Twelve of these reported the effects of low/moderate-temperature exposure, two reported the effects of high-temperature exposure, and one reported the effects of both low/moderate- and high-temperature exposure. For low/moderate-temperature exposure, 1°C decrease in temperature was associated with 0.40 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.34–0.46) increase in systolic BP and 0.13 mmHg (95% CI: 0.08–0.18) increase in diastolic BP. For high-temperature exposure, the relationship between BP and temperature was not statistically significant. Conclusion: For low/moderate-temperature exposure, a decrease in temperature was associated with an increase in BP. In contrast, the relationship between high-temperature exposure and BP was not statistically significant.