Blood Mercury and Insulin Resistance in Nondiabetic Koreans (KNHANES 2008-2010).
10.3349/ymj.2015.56.4.944
- Author:
Kyu Nam KIM
1
;
Soo Jung PARK
;
Beomhee CHOI
;
Nam Seok JOO
Author Information
1. Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. jchcmc@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Mercury;
insulin resistance;
environment;
inflammation;
Korean
- MeSH:
Adult;
Asian Continental Ancestry Group/statistics & numerical data;
Cross-Sectional Studies;
Female;
Humans;
Insulin/blood;
Insulin Resistance/*ethnology;
Male;
Mercury/*blood;
Middle Aged;
Nutrition Surveys;
Odds Ratio;
Republic of Korea;
Risk Factors
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2015;56(4):944-950
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Blood mercury levels are associated with inflammation, and chronic low-grade inflammation is a cause of insulin resistance. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum mercury and insulin resistance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects from the 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were selected (n=29235) and the relevant data of 5388 subjects (2643 males and 2745 females) were analyzed cross-sectionally. Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was compared according to blood mercury quartiles, and the odds ratio (OR) of having the highest quartile of HOMA-IR according to blood mercury quartiles was calculated. RESULTS: Blood mercury levels in men and women were 29.4 nmol/L and 20.5 nmol/L, respectively, and fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, and HOMA-IR were significantly correlated with blood mercury levels. The correlation was stronger in men than in women. In men, FBS and HOMA-IR showed step-wise increases as the quartiles of blood mercury increased; only HOMA-IR differed significantly in the third and fourth blood mercury quartiles, compared to the first quartile. In women, however, both FBS and HOMA-IR differed significantly in the third and fourth blood mercury quartiles, compared to the first quartile. Among men, the OR of being in the highest HOMA-IR quartile was greatest for the highest blood mercury quartile (OR=1.720, 95% CI; 1.172-2.526), compared with the lowest quartile. CONCLUSION: In this large population-based study, blood mercury levels were weakly correlated with HOMA-IR and may be a risk factor for insulin resistance in nondiabetic Koreans.
