Prenatal particulate air pollution exposure predicts arterial stiffness in childhood
Main finding · PWV per 5 μg/m3 increment in prenatal PM2.5 during trimester twoResult — go to the resultDifference in PWV 0.09 m/sec 95% CI 0.01–0.17Authors' conclusion
Therefore, associations of air pollution exposure during gestation with childhood PWV highlight the potential long-term consequences on the child's cardiovascular system from early life onwards.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 9–11 years from a Belgian birth cohort, recruited at birth132 girls (54.1%)
- Participants
- 244 children
- Exposure
- Prenatal PM2.5 exposure and childhood pulse wave velocity (PWV)
- Outcome
- Carotid-femoral PWV (arterial stiffness)
- Follow-up
- 9–11 years
Methodological detailsENVIRONAGE birth cohort, distributed lag non-linear models
- ENVIRONAGE birth cohort
- Distributed lag non-linear models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
PWV per 5 μg/m3 increment in prenatal PM2.5 during trimester two
Difference in PWV
0.09 m/sec
95% CI 0.01–0.17
P = 0.03
PM2.5 +5 μg/m3 (trimester two)
difference in PWV 0.09 m/sec (95% CI 0.01–0.17); P = 0.03
Per 5 μg/m3 increment in prenatal PM2.5 during, as printed
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Difference in PWV (m/sec) (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PWV per 5 μg/m3 trimester-two PM2.5, accounting for entire childhood PM2.5 exposure | 0.08 (−0.0006 to 0.16) | P = 0.05 | |
| −0.100.10.2Difference, m/sec (linear scale) |
Original publication
Prenatal particulate air pollution exposure predicts arterial stiffness in childhood. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 17 December 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it