Study: high pollen concentrations increase blood pressure

Keystone / Gaetan Bally

A high concentration of pollen can increase blood pressure in allergy sufferers, according to a Swiss study. The effect is much more pronounced in women and people who are overweight.

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Researchers at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) were able to demonstrate for the first time that pollen has an effect on cardiovascular disease. The study, published on Friday in the journal Environmental Health, involved 400 participants in the Basel region in 2021 and 2022.

“Pollen allergy is a growing public health problem,” the researchers declared. The pollen season is likely to become longer and more intense as a result of climate change. It is estimated that around 20% of adults globally are allergic to pollen. 

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Their study found that during periods with very high pollen concentrations, systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased on average by 2.0 mmHg and 1.5 mmHg respectively, compared to no-pollen days. Blood pressure effects were already evident at small pollen concentrations and continuously increased with increasing pollen in the air. The effect was markedly stronger for women and people with a high body-mass index.

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According to the specialists, these results are important for public health. Pollen allergies and hypertension are two of the most common chronic diseases in Europe,” they write.

It is therefore important that the health effects of allergenic trees are taken into account to a greater extent in future, for example in urban planning. Urban trees are important for providing shade, particularly in view of climate change, but there are alternatives to highly allergenic birch trees, the researchers write.

Adapted from French by DeepL/sb

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