DOES INDUSTRIAL-ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE THE PREVALENCE OF ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION, PLASMA-CHOLESTEROL, URIC-ACID CONCENTRATION, AND ACTIVITY OFTHE RENIN-ALDOSTERONE SYSTEM

The present study aimed to assess the influence of a highly industrial ized environment on the prevalence of arterial hypertension and plasma levels of cholesterol, uric acid, aldosterone, and plasma renin activ ity. Epidemiological studies were performed in 5,008 inhabitants of a highly industrialized city (Piekary Slaskie) and in 5,004 inhabitants of a provincial town (Olesno Slaskie) in the southern part of Poland. Only subjects over 15 years of age were enrolled. The prevalence of ar terial hypertension in the industrial population was 17% compared to t he rural population with 8.2%. Significantly higher serum cholesterol levels were found both in hypertensive and normotensive subjects of th e highly industrialized region than in the nonindustrialized one. Fina lly, in hypertensive women aged < 40 years and normotensive men and wo men of the industrialized region significantly higher plasma renin act ivity and plasma aldosterone concentration were found than in correspo nding population groups of the nonindustrialized region. From the resu lts obtained in this study it seems that the highly industrialized env ironment seems to stimulate hypertensinogenic factors.