ENVIRONMENTAL LEAD CONCENTRATIONS AND INCIDENCE OF HYPERTENSION IN THE KIZILYURT DISTRICT, DAGESTAN

Abstract

The aim was to studyassociations between the Lead content in the environment (soil, water sources, food) and the incidence of hypertensionamong residents of the KiziLyurt district, Dagestan. Methods. An ecological study.Data on the incidence of hypertension were obtained from the documentation at KiziLyurt Central District Hospital. Assessment of Lead concentrations in the soils was performed by a mobiLe laboratory for environmentaL monitoring of the Dagestan State University. Lead concentrations were estimated by atomic absorption spectrometry at MGA-915MD, based on the extraction of an eLement from soiL sampLes and the subsequent determination of mass concentration. The Lead content in water and food sampLes was determined by the AAS method in the eLectrothermaL atomization mode on a contrAA 700 spectrometer (AnaLytik Jena AG, Germany). The data were presented as meansand standard deviations. Distribution of numeric data was assessed using Shapiro-WiLk test. Associations between Lead concentrations and the incidence of hypertension were studies using Pearson's correction coefficients. One-Way ANOVA test was used to identify differences between settLements in terms of Lead content in soiLs, water, and food products. Results. A strong positive correction was found between the concentrations of Lead in environmentaL objects (soiL, water, food) and theincidence of hypertension (r varied between 0.97 and 0.99). Conclusions. The higher Lead concentrations in the environment are associated with the higher incidence of hypertension. Lead in soiLs can be considered as an important factor for the deveLopment of essentiaL hypertension