Blood lead concentrations and iron deficiency in Canadian aboriginal infants

Abstract

Aboriginal Cree infants living in northern Quebec who were 9 months of age were screened for anemia, iron deficiency and elevated blood lead concentrations. Of the 314 infants who were eligible to participate, 274 (87.3%) were screened for anemia, 186 had blood lead concentration measured and 141 of the latter group had iron status determined. The median blood lead concentration was 0.08 μmol/l (range 0.01–1.00 μmol/l). The 25, 50 and 75 percentiles for blood lead concentration were 0.05, 0.08 and 0.12 μmol/l, respectively. The prevalence of elevated blood lead concentrations (>0.48 μmol/l) was 2.7% (95% CI 0.36–5.0). Among infants who had blood lead measured, the prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin <110 g/l) was 25.0% and 7.9% of infants had iron-deficiency anemia (hemoglobin <110 g/l and serum ferritin <10 μg/l). Anemic infants had a higher mean geometric blood lead concentration than did babies without anemia (0.11 μmol/l vs. 0.07 μmol/l, P=0.003). Likewise, infants with iron-deficiency anemia had a significantly higher mean geometric blood lead concentration than infants without iron deficiency anemia (0.16 μmol/l vs. 0.07 μmol/l, P=0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between blood lead and hemoglobin concentrations ( r=−0.203, P=0.006) and between blood lead and serum ferritin concentrations ( r=−0.245, P=0.003). Infants who were fed traditional food (fish, fowl and game) did not have a significantly different mean geometric blood lead concentration, hemoglobin concentration or serum ferritin concentration than infants who did not eat traditional food. Few infants (5.3%) ate traditional food daily.