Abstract
BackgroundPopulations which diet is rich in seafood are highly exposed to contaminants such as mercury, which could affect cardiovascular risk factorsObjectiveTo assess the associations between mercury and blood pressure (BP), resting heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) among French PolynesiansMethodsData were collected among 180 adults (≥ 18 years) and 101 teenagers (12-17 years). HRV was measured using a two-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram (Holter) and BP was measured using a standardized protocol. The association between mercury and HRV and BP parameters was studied using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)ResultsAmong teenagers, the high frequency (HF) decreased between the 2nd and 3rd tertile (380 vs. 204 ms2, p = 0.03) and a similar pattern was observed for the square root of the mean squared differences of successive R-R intervals (rMSSD) (43 vs. 30 ms, p = 0.005) after adjusting for confounders. In addition, the ratio low/high frequency (LF/HF) increased between the 2nd and 3rd tertile (2.3 vs. 3.0, p = 0.04). Among adults, the standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDNN) tended to decrease between the 1st and 2nd tertile (84 vs. 75 ms, p = 0.069) after adjusting for confounders. Furthermore, diastolic BP tended to increase between the 2nd and 3rd tertile (86 vs. 91 mm Hg, p = 0.09). No significant difference was observed in resting HR or pulse pressure (PP)ConclusionsMercury was associated with decreased HRV among French Polynesian teenagers while no significant association was observed with resting HR, BP, or PP among teenagers or adults
Highlights
Populations which diet is rich in seafood are highly exposed to contaminants such as mercury, which could affect cardiovascular risk factors
From 189 adults who participated in the study, three were excluded because blood mercury could not be determined, six had missing data regarding blood pressure (BP) and 15 regarding heart rate variability (HRV)
After excluding subjects with missing values on some adjustment variables, multivariable analyses on BP were conducted among 157 adults while multivariable analyses on HRV were restricted to 146 adults
Summary
Populations which diet is rich in seafood are highly exposed to contaminants such as mercury, which could affect cardiovascular risk factors. Chronic mercury exposure has been associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, progression of atherosclerosis and oxidative stress (see review by Roman et al.) [5]. Exposure to this contaminant has been associated with increased blood pressure (BP) and decreased heart rate variability (HRV) among children and adults. Our research team has observed a negative impact of mercury on HRV in native populations from Canada such as the Inuit from Nunavik [13]. A positive association between prenatal mercury exposure and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at 15 years old was observed among boys in the Seychelles Islands [14]. Mercury was associated with decreasing DBP and increased pulse pressure (PP) among Greenlanders [18]
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