Plomo en sangre y su relación con hemoglobina y hematocrito en niños expuestos a la contaminación minera, Apurímac 2023

Abstract

Exposure to heavy metals causes a high level of lead in the blood, which causes various problems in various organs, including a deficit in the production of hemoglobin, which causes anemia. This circumstance was the impetus to carry out this research study. The objective of the research was to determine the relationship between blood lead levels and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in children aged 0 to 11 years exposed to mining pollution in the community of the district and province of Andahuaylas in the department of Apurímac. . A non-experimental quantitative and descriptive design was used. 98 minors from 0 to 11 years of age, registered in the district and province of Andahuaylas in the department of Apurímac, participated in the "lead in blood and its relationship with hemoglobin and hematocrit" campaign from April to May 2023. The study on anemia found that fifty percent (50%) of the subjects did not have anemia. The percentages of mild (6 subjects), moderate (33 subjects), and severe (9 subjects) anemia were 6.1% to 33.7% and 9.2%, respectively. Regarding lead poisoning, 64 (65.3%) of the subjects did not show significant levels, while 34 (34.7%) of the subjects showed toxic levels. The relationship of lead levels with hemoglobin was not significantly influenced by age group, sex or area of ​​residence. Hemoglobin decreases by 0.755 for every one unit increase in blood lead level, with a p-value <0.001 and a 95% confidence interval of -0.839 - 0.671. This study demonstrates a significant correlation between blood lead levels and low hemoglobin levels (corrected for height), underscoring the importance of interventions focused on prevention and health promotion in at-risk populations.