BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that exposures to heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium) may be associated with differences in blood pressure. However, the findings of these studies have been inconsistent. This study was performed to examine the associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure among residents of four Asian countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam). METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined 1899 adults in four Asian countries. Urinary concentrations of heavy metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A questionnaire survey was administered regarding individual characteristics. Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) were performed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured after a short rest. Multiple linear regression models were applied to investigate associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure after adjustments for age, sex, and body mass index. RESULTS: The geometric means of the urinary concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium were 84.6, 0.885, 2.09, and 16.5 μg/g creatinine, respectively. The urinary arsenic concentrations were slightly higher than those typically reported in non-polluted populations, while urinary cadmium, lead, and selenium concentrations were equivalent or slightly lower. The urinary lead concentrations were positively associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but urinary selenium concentrations were negatively associated with them. CONCLUSIONS Variations in the urinary concentrations of lead and selenium were associated with blood pressure at low levels of exposure/intake.
Adult ; Arsenic/urine* ; Bangladesh ; Blood Pressure ; Cadmium/urine* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Indonesia ; Lead/urine* ; Linear Models ; Male ; Metals, Heavy/urine* ; Middle Aged ; Nepal ; Selenium/urine* ; Vietnam

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy ; Adult ; Anti-Retroviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metalloids ; blood ; Metals ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Placenta previa and placenta accreta associate with high morbidity and mortality for both mothers and fetus. Metal exposure may have relationships with placenta previa and placenta accreta. This study analyzed the associations between maternal metal (cadmium [Cd], lead [Pb], mercury [Hg], selenium [Se], and manganese [Mn]) concentrations and placenta previa and placenta accreta. METHODS: We recruited 17,414 women with singleton pregnancies. Data from a self-administered questionnaire regarding the first trimester and medical records after delivery were analyzed. Maternal blood samples were collected to measure metal concentrations. The subjects were classified into four quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4) according to metal concentrations. RESULTS: The odds ratio for placenta previa was significantly higher among subjects with Q4 Cd than those with Q1 Cd. The odds ratio for placenta previa was significantly higher for subjects with Q2 Pb than those with Q1 Pb. CONCLUSION Participants with placenta previa had higher Cd concentrations. However, this study was cross-sectional and lacked important information related to Cd concentration, such as detailed smoking habits and sources of Cd intake. In addition, the subjects in this study comprised ordinary pregnant Japanese women, and it was impossible to observe the relationship between a wide range of Cd exposure and placenta previa. Therefore, epidemiological and experimental studies are warranted to verify the relationship between Cd exposure and pregnancy abnormalities.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Japan ; Metals, Heavy ; blood ; metabolism ; Placenta Accreta ; metabolism ; Placenta Previa ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Selenium ; blood ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: The effects of prenatal exposure to toxic elements on birth outcomes and child development have been an area of concern. This study aimed to assess the profile of prenatal exposure to toxic elements, arsenic (As), bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), mercury (total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MHg), inorganic mercury (IHg)), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and tin (Sn), and essential trace elements, copper (Cu), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), using the maternal blood, cord blood and placenta in the Tohoku Study of Child Development of Japan (N = 594-650). METHODS: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of these elements (except mercury). Levels of THg and MeHg were measured using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry and a gas chromatograph-electron capture detector, respectively. RESULTS: Median concentrations (25th-75th) of As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn and THg in the maternal blood were 4.06 (2.68-6.81), 1.18 (0.74-1.79), 10.8 (8.65-13.5), 0.2 (0.06-0.40) and 0.2 (0.1-0.38) ng mL and 5.42 (3.89-7.59) ng g, respectively. Median concentrations (25th-75th) of As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn and THg in the cord blood were 3.68 (2.58-5.25), 0.53 (0.10-1.25), 9.89 (8.02-12.5), 0.39 (0.06-0.92) and 0.2 (0.2-0.38) ng mL and 9.96 (7.05-13.8) ng g, respectively. CONCLUSIONS THg and Sb levels in the cord blood were twofold higher than those in the maternal blood. Cord blood to maternal blood ratios for As, Cd and Sb widely varied between individuals. To understand the effects of prenatal exposure, further research regarding the variations of placental transfer of elements is necessary.
Adult ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Japan ; Maternal Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Maternal-Fetal Exchange ; Metals ; blood ; Placenta ; chemistry ; Pregnancy ; blood ; Trace Elements ; blood ; Urban Health

There have been few studies investigating the association between atopic dermatitis (AD) and prenatal exposure to heavy metals. We aimed to evaluate whether prenatal exposure to heavy metals is associated with the development or severity of AD in a birth cohort study. A total of 331 subjects were followed from birth for a median duration of 60.0 months. The presence and severity of AD were evaluated at ages 6 and 12 months, and regularly once a year thereafter. The concentrations of lead, mercury, chromium, and cadmium in umbilical cord blood were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) were isolated and stimulated for analysis of cytokine production using ELISA. Heavy metal levels in cord blood were not associated with the development of AD until 24 months of age. However, a positive correlation was observed between the duration of AD and lead levels in cord blood (p=0.002). AD severity was also positively associated with chromium concentrations in cord blood (p=0.037), while cord blood levels of lead, mercury, and cadmium were not significantly associated with AD severity (p=0.562, p=0.054, and p=0.055, respectively). Interleukin-13 production in CBMCs was positively related with lead and chromium levels in cord blood (p=0.021 and p=0.015, respectively). Prenatal exposure to lead and chromium is associated with the persistence and severity of AD, and the immune reaction toward a Th2 polarization.
Cacao ; Cadmium ; Chromium ; Cohort Studies ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fetal Blood ; Interleukin-13 ; Mass Spectrometry ; Metals, Heavy ; Parturition ; Plasma ; Umbilical Cord

BACKGROUND: In Korea, around the abandoned metal mines, heavy metals are being accumulating in the cultivated areas. Among exposed heavy metals, mercury is known to harm for cardiovascular system known to affect blood pressure. So, we studied the relationship between blood mercury level and hypertension in residents around abandoned metal mines. METHODS: From 2008 to 2011, we surveyed 7,055 residents in provinces affected by abandoned metal mines and collected data from 6 Hospitals. We conducted a personal questionnaire interview survey with residents on the basis of household questionnaires, sex, age, household income, smoking, and drinking items. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between blood mercury level and hypertension. RESULTS: We compared residents with low and high groups based on blood mercury level 5.8 μg/L, and higher group was significantly higher risk of hypertension than lower group (odds ratio [OR]: 1.277; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.135–1.436), also in adjusted model, higher group was significantly higher risk of hypertension than lower group (OR: 1.276; 95% CI: 1.117–1.457). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a significant correlation between mercury and hypertension in residents around abandoned metal mines. Therefore, we should continuously monitor people who are higher than the standard value and the hypertensive patients.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular System ; Drinking ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Metals, Heavy ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the association of blood pressure (BP) with blood levels of cadmium, lead, and cadmium and lead together (cadmium + lead) in a representative sample of adolescents from Korea. METHODS: We used 2010–2016 data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This cross-sectional study enrolled adolescents aged at 10–18 years-old who completed a health examination survey and had blood measurements of lead and cadmium. The association of adjusted mean differences in diastolic and systolic BP with doubling of blood lead and cadmium were estimated by regression of BP against log2-transformed blood metals and their quartiles after covariate adjustment. Adjusted odds ratio for prehypertension were calculated for log2-transformed blood levels of lead and cadmium and their quartiles. RESULTS: Our analysis of adolescents in Korea indicated that blood levels of lead and cadmium were not significantly associated with increased BP or risk of prehypertension. However, the cadmium + lead level was associated with prehypertension. Previous studies showed that blood levels of lead and cadmium were associated with increased BP and risk of hypertension in adult populations. We found no such association in Korean adolescents. CONCLUSION: We found that the cadmium + lead level was associated with prehypertension. The differences between adults and adolescents are because adolescents generally have lower levels of these blood metals or because adolescents only rarely have hypertension.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Blood Pressure* ; Cadmium* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Metals ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Odds Ratio ; Prehypertension

Environmental exposure to heavy metals has been linked to a wide range of human health hazards. We detected the levels of 15 metals in urine samples from 500 representative sub-samples in an ongoing occupational cohort study (Jinchang Cohort) to directly evaluate metal exposure levels. Fifteen metals, namely As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cs, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se, Tl, U, and Zn, were detected by inductively coupled plasma quadruple mass spectrometry. The results showed that median creatinine adjustment and geometric mean urinary metal levels were higher in the heavy metal-exposed group, except Se and Zn, than other reported general or occupational populations. Further studies should address the effects of heavy metals on human health.
China ; Cohort Studies ; Environmental Pollutants ; blood ; Humans ; Metals, Heavy ; blood ; Occupational Exposure

OBJECTIVEMany metals, some of which have been classified as environmental endocrine disruptors, are used extensively in everyday consumer products and are ubiquitous in our living environment. In the present study, we aimed to explore the associations between the prevalence risk of type 2 diabetes and plasma levels of 20 trace elements as well as those of heavy metals in a Han Chinese population.

METHODSWe conducted a case-control study to investigate the associations between plasma concentrations of 20 metals and diabetes in Jiangsu province. A total of 122 newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes and 429 matched controls were recruited from community physical examinations in Suzhou City of Jiangsu Province. Plasma metal levels were measured by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

RESULTSAfter adjusting for confounders, plasma vanadium, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, strontium, palladium, cadmium, cesium, and barium were associated with diabetes risk (P < 0.05). The adjusted OR increased with increasing concentration of vanadium, manganese, copper, zinc, and cesium.

CONCLUSIONMany metals, including manganese, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, and cadmium in plasma, are associated with the morbidity of diabetes. Monitoring of environmental metal levels and further studies are urgently needed.

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; blood ; etiology ; Environmental Pollutants ; blood ; toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metals ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Lead and cadmium are harmful heavy metals that are used for a variety of occupational purposes. Considering their potentially hazardous effects on health, studies on the association between exposure to these two heavy metals and health disorders have been actively conducted. This study aimed to determine the association between blood lead and cadmium levels and blood pressure in workers exposed to lead and cadmium in a smelter. METHODS: Nine hundred and sixty-three male workers who worked in a smelter, and underwent medical examinations at the Ulsan University Hospital between January 1 and December 31, 2014, were selected as participants. Among them, 310 subjects whose data on height, weight, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and blood lead and cadmium levels were available and who answered the questionnaire were selected as the final participants. We investigated the drinking habit, smoking status, exercise adequacy, and family history of hypertension of these workers using formal questionnaires. A statistical analysis was conducted using Student's t-test, analysis of variance, and linear or logistic regression. RESULTS: The association between blood lead and cadmium levels and blood pressure was analyzed through statistical adjustment of the risk factors of hypertension. Results showed an association between blood cadmium level and blood pressure elevation. However, blood lead level was found to be not correlated with blood pressure elevation. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the association between blood cadmium level and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) elevation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRB No. 2017–03-037. Retrospectively Registered 30 March 2017.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure* ; Cadmium* ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Drinking ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Fasting ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Metals, Heavy ; Osmeriformes* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Ulsan