Does industrial environment influence the prevalence of arterial hypertension, plasma cholesterol and uric acid concentration and activity of the renin-aldosterone system?

The present study aimed to assess the influence of a highly industrialized environment on the prevalence of arterial hypertension and plasma levels of cholesterol, uric acid, aldosterone and plasma renin activity. Epidemiological studies were performed in 5008 inhabitants of a highly industrialized city (Piekary Slaskie) and in 5004 inhabitants of non industrialized city (Olesno Slaskie) in the south part of Poland. Only subjects over 15 years were enrolled. The prevalence of arterial hypertension in the industrial population was 17% while in the country city 8.2%. Significantly higher serum cholesterol levels were found in hypertensive and normotensive subjects of the highly industrialized region than in the non industrialized one. Finally in hypertensive women aged < 40 years and normotensive men and women of the industrialized region significantly higher plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration were found than in corresponding population groups of the non industrialized region. From the results obtained in this study it seems, that the highly industrialized environment seems to stimulate hypertensinogenic factors.