Abstract P071: Moderate Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic in Drinking Water is Associated with Elevated Pulse Pressure: Results from Chihuahua, Mexico

Background: Though levels of arsenic >100 μg/L in drinking water have been consistently associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), evidence of an association at lower levels of exposure is more inconsistent. We used data from a cohort from Chihuahua Mexico to examine whether relatively low levels of arsenic in drinking water were associated with elevated pulse pressure, a marker linked to arterial stiffening and CVD risk. Methods: We used concentrations of arsenic in household drinking water from 931 adults not taking hypertensive medication to examine the association between water arsenic categories as low as 25-50 μg/L and mean increases in systolic, diastolic and pulse pressure (systolic - diastolic pressure). We also examined the association between water arsenic categories and elevated pulse pressure, defined as >70 mm Hg. Associations between arsenic exposure and blood pressure measures were obtained from multivariable linear or logistic regression models that adjusted for age, ...