Urinary Cadmium Levels Research Articles

Associations between renal functions and exposure of arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in adults living near a petrochemical complex

BackgroundThe understanding for the impact of petrochemical pollutants exposure on renal functions is limited. ObjectivesOur study examined the associations between renal functions and pollutants exposure in adult residents living in the vicinity of a petrochemical industry. MethodsWe recruited 2069 adult residents near a big petrochemical complex in Taiwan in 2009–2012, and they were categorized into high exposure (HE) and low exposure (LE) groups based on their address to source by 10 km radius. Study subjects were measured the urinary levels of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, thallium, and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Taiwanese Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation, and the chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence and risks were defined according to KDIGO 2012 guidelines. Adjusted generalized linear and logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the associations between petrochemical exposure and renal functions. ResultsSubjects in the HE areas had significantly lower eGFR, higher CKD prevalence, and higher levels of urinary arsenic, cadmium, mercury, thallium and 1-OHP. The closer to complex and high exposure group of study subjects were significantly associated with the decrease in eGFR, higher ORs for CKD and high-intermediate risk of CKD. In addition, the study subjects who had two-fold urinary arsenic and 1-OHP levels were significantly with decreased 0.68 and 0.49 ml/min/1.73 m2 of eGFR, respectively. ConclusionsResiding closer and higher arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure were associated with the renal impairment and risks of CKD among the residential population near the petrochemical industry.

Variation in levels of urinary cadmium and its relationship with occupation in smokers from the Multiethnic Cohort Study

Variation in levels of urinary cadmium and its relationship with occupation in smokers from the Multiethnic Cohort Study

Manganese exposure and psychosocial behavior of preschool children

OPS 40: Metals: neurological effects, Room 412, Floor 4, August 28, 2019, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Background: The neurotoxic effects of lead and mercury on children have been well established; however, evidence regarding the role of manganese remains inconclusive. The aim of the study is to evaluate the association between manganese exposure and psychosocial behavior of children using a nationwide survey in Taiwan. Methods: A total of 1003 participants were randomly selected from 110 kindergartens of 19 counties throughout Taiwan using a stratified cluster sampling method. Those preschool children aged five to seven years old were enrolled after the informed consent from their parents. Urinary levels of manganese, lead, cadmium, and arsenic, as well as whole blood total mercury, were measured. The psychosocial behavior of the participants was also evaluated using the parental reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We utilized linear regression models to evaluate the correlation between environmental heavy metals exposure and SDQ total- and sub-scores. Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 5.7 (0.7) years old, and 51.3% of them were male. The geometric mean of urinary manganese was 0.181 µg/L. Results of multivariable regression models revealed that urinary manganese levels were positively associated with scores of Peer Problem (adjusted coefficients [95% confidence interval, CI], 0.10 [0.01~0.19], for per log unit increase) and negatively correlated with scores of Prosocial Behavior (-0.13 [-0.25~-0.01], for per log unit increase). Furthermore, the significant associations remained robust after adjusted for the other neurotoxic heavy metals. Conclusions: The study provided evidence regarding the detrimental effects of manganese exposure and psychosocial developmental in preschool children.

Urinary Concentration Correction Methods for Arsenic, Cadmium, and Mercury: a Systematic Review of Practice-Based Evidence.

Urinary biomonitoring is widely used to assess environmental chemical exposure; however, a critical gap exists in whether and how to correct for the physiological variation in water content of spot urine samples. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the available evidence comparing the performance of urinary concentration correction methods used to determine urinary levels of arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, LILIAC, Web of Science, and TOXNET up to Sept. 5, 2017 for articles evaluating urinary concentration correction methods (e.g., urine creatinine [U-Cre], specific gravity [U-SG], osmolality [U-Osm]) compared to 24-h or timed urine specimens for levels of arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. Data on study design, methods of urine collection, and the performance of selected correction methods were extracted. A total of 10 papers met the inclusion criteria. Two papers evaluated the performance of urinary concentration correction methods for arsenic, four for cadmium, three for mercury, and one for multiple metals. The median sample size for arsenic was 105, for cadmium 107, and for mercury 35. The studies were highly heterogeneous in population selection, urine collection, urine quality control, statistical comparison among selected correction methods, and presentation of the results. The median (range) of correlation coefficients comparing each corrected values with corresponding levels of timed urine specimens are 0.74 (0.17-0.92) for un-correction (n = 13), 0.82 (0.52-0.98) for U-Cre (n = 13), and 0.75 (0.28-0.98) (n = 12) for U-SG. Findings from limited evidence support that urine creatinine and urine-specific gravity corrections remain practical approaches to correct metal concentrations for urine dilution as compared to 24-h or 12-h urine samples. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify this fundamental issue of environmental biomonitoring using spot urine samples in both general and priority populations.

Reader response: Urinary cadmium concentration and the risk of ischemic stroke.

Chen et al.1 examined the association between urinary cadmium levels and the incidence of ischemic stroke. The median urinary cadmium concentration was 0.42 μg/g creatinine. Adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of the highest quintile of urinary cadmium against the lowest quintile for incidence of ischemic stroke was 1.50 (1.01–2.22). The significance disappeared in never-smokers.

Author response: Urinary cadmium concentration and the risk of ischemic stroke.

Our study1 is generally consistent with the main findings of Deering et al.2 (e.g., positive associations of urinary cadmium levels with the risk of heart failure hospitalizations, atherosclerotic vascular disease mortality, and total mortality). The inverse correlation between baseline cadmium levels and the prevalence of carotid focal plaque reported by Deering et al.2 was biologically implausible and contrary to their main findings as well as the results from other studies,3 and the reasons were unclear, as discussed by the authors.

Editors' note: Urinary cadmium concentration and the risk of ischemic stroke

In the article “Urinary cadmium concentration and the risk of ischemic stroke,” Drs. Chen et al. reported an increased incidence of ischemic stroke in participants with higher baseline urinary cadmium concentration in a case–cohort study nested with the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, with the association attenuated among those who never smoked or who had a higher serum zinc level. In response, Dr. Kawada expresses some concerns and an apparent paradox: the lower hazard reported for carotid focal plaque with higher urinary cadmium in a separate study, despite the known increased risk of stroke with carotid atherosclerosis; the need to clarify the dose–response relationship between urinary cadmium and ischemic stroke as modified by smoking status, given that smoking is a major contributor to urinary cadmium levels; and the need to account for kidney function in the analyses. In their reply, while acknowledging the need for further studies of cadmium toxicity, authors He and Chen counter that the inverse correlation between baseline cadmium levels and carotid focal plaque in the separate study was biologically implausible and contrary to the main findings of the study. They also note that sensitivity analyses were performed to address confounding by smoking status and kidney function, and that these yielded similar results. In the article “Urinary cadmium concentration and the risk of ischemic stroke,” Drs. Chen et al. reported an increased incidence of ischemic stroke in participants with higher baseline urinary cadmium concentration in a case–cohort study nested with the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, with the association attenuated among those who never smoked or who had a higher serum zinc level. In response, Dr. Kawada expresses some concerns and an apparent paradox: the lower hazard reported for carotid focal plaque with higher urinary cadmium in a separate study, despite the known increased risk of stroke with carotid atherosclerosis; the need to clarify the dose–response relationship between urinary cadmium and ischemic stroke as modified by smoking status, given that smoking is a major contributor to urinary cadmium levels; and the need to account for kidney function in the analyses.

Unchanged Pulmonary Function and Increased Prevalence of Subjective Respiratory Symptoms in Non-smoking Workers with Low Cadmium Body Burden.

The study investigated the effects of low cadmium (Cd) burden on the respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function in occupational workers. The study population consisted of 98 nickel-cadmium battery workers. Levels of urine cadmium, urinary creatinine (Cr), and data on the adverse respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function of the participants were measured and collected respectively. The urinary cadmium level in cadmium-exposed workers (n = 53) was within the normal range but greater than 2.4 times than those of the control group (n = 45). Compared with the control group, the cadmium-exposed workers had higher prevalence of all subjective respiratory symptoms studied in the study. The prevalence of cough (30%), phlegm (23%), and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (79%) in the exposure group was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the prevalence of cough (11%), phlegm (7%), and URTI (31%) in the control group respectively. There was no significant difference between the Cd-exposed workers and control group in pulmonary function test. Our findings suggested that adverse subjective respiratory symptoms were increased and pulmonary function were unchanged in low Cd burden workers. Unchanged pulmonary function may be related to age, exposure duration, and distribution of Cd in tissue. These workers need to continue being monitored in longitudinal studies.

Evaluation of the association between urinary cadmium levels below threshold limits and the risk of diabetes mellitus: a dose-response meta-analysis.

As cadmium levels are increasing in the environment, the adverse effects of cadmium exposure specifically associated with chronic diseases are receiving increasing attention. Several population-based studies have been conducted on the association between cadmium and diabetes mellitus (DM) but have reported controversial results. Here, we aimed to evaluate the association between cadmium exposure and DM. In this meta-analysis, a random effects model was used because there was evidence of heterogeneity among studies. A dose-response relationship was assessed through a restricted cubic spline model with three knots. The results showed a positive association between cadmium levels in the body and DM (OR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.07-1.52). The cadmium levels in the body were defined on the basis of combined urinary and blood cadmium. Subgroup analysis further indicated a positive association between urinary cadmium levels and DM (OR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02-1.69). The dose-response analysis results showed a positive association between levels of urinary cadmium above 2.43μg/g creatinine and DM, and the risk of DM increased by 16% for each lμg/g creatinine increase in urinary cadmium levels. The results from our meta-analysis indicate that cadmium levels in the body are positively associated with DM, and urinary cadmium levels above 2.43μg/g creatinine are associated with an increased risk of DM.

Prenatal Cadmium Exposure Is Negatively Associated With Adiposity in Girls Not Boys During Adolescence.

Introduction: Cadmium is a pervasive toxic metal that remains a public health concern and exposure in early life has been associated with growth deficits in infancy and childhood. Growth during adolescence also may be sensitive to effects of cadmium exposure, given the changes in distribution of lean and adipose tissue that vary by sex during puberty. This study examines whether prenatal and concurrent cadmium exposures are associated with adiposity measures at ages 8–15 years in a well-characterized birth cohort.Methods: The sample included 185 participants from the ELEMENT birth cohorts in Mexico City with complete data on urinary cadmium exposures, anthropometry and covariates [child age and sex, household socioeconomic status, and maternal smoking history and body mass index (BMI)]. Maternal third trimester and adolescent urines were analyzed for cadmium using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer. Trained personnel obtained anthropometry including height, weight, waist circumference and subscapular, suprailiac, and triceps skinfold thickness. BMI z-scores for age and sex were calculated using the World Health Organization's reference standard. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association of prenatal and concurrent urinary cadmium levels with adolescent anthropometry, adjusting for covariates.Results: Among 87 males and 98 females, median age was 10 years (IQR 9 –11 years). Pregnant women and children had median urinary cadmium concentrations of 0.19 μg/L (IQR 0.12– 0.27 μg/L) and 0.14 μg/L (IQR 0.11– 0.18 μg/L), respectively. Regression models showed inverse relationships between prenatal cadmium exposure and adolescent adiposity. An IQR increase in prenatal cadmium was associated with percent decreases in BMI z-score (−27%, p = 0.01), waist circumference (−3%, p = 0.01), and subscapular (−11%, p = 0.01), suprailiac (−11%, p = 0.02), and triceps (−8%, p < 0.01) skinfold thickness. When stratified by sex, these relationships remained statistically significant in females but not males.Conclusions: Prenatal cadmium exposure was negatively associated with measures of both abdominal and peripheral adiposity in girls, but not in boys. These results emphasize the sex-dependent effects of in utero cadmium exposure on adiposity in adolescence.

Relationships of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury Levels With Albuminuria in US Adults: Results From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Database, 2009-2012.

In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated associations between cadmium, lead, and mercury levels and the presence of albuminuria in US adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during the period 2009-2012. A total of 2,926 adults aged ≥20 years were included, representing a population-based sample of 18,264,307 persons. Data on blood and urinary levels of cadmium, lead, and mercury and urinary albumin concentration (albuminuria, measured as albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) ≥30 mg/g) were obtained. Multivariate linear regression was used to analyze associations between log-transformed cadmium, lead, and mercury levels and the presence of albuminuria. Urinary ACR was significantly higher among participants with a blood cadmium level of 0.349-0.692 μg/L (quartile 3) than in those with a blood cadmium level less than or equal to 0.243 μg/L (quartile 1) (crude β = 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01, 0.28). Participants with a urinary cadmium level greater than or equal to 0.220 μg/L had a significantly higher ACR (0.220-0.403 μg/L (quartile 3): crude β = 0.12 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.21); ≥0.404 μg/L (quartile 4): crude β = 0.29 (95% CI: 0.18, 0.39)) than those with a urinary cadmium level less than or equal to 0.126 μg/L (quartile 1). In conclusion, only blood and urinary cadmium levels, not mercury or lead levels, were associated with albuminuria among adults in this population.

Relationship between urinary cadmium and type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults

Objective: To explore the relationship between environmental factors as urinary cadmium and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in adults. Methods: Case-control study was adopted, including 166 cases and 427 controls. General characteristics of the subjects were collected by a structured questionnaire. FPG, biochemical indexes and urinary cadmium (UCd) were detected respectively, while UCd was corrected with creatinine. Unconditioned logistic regression model was applied to analyze the relationship between UCd and DM. Results: Levels of UCd appeared higher in cases with the following characteristics as: having primary school education (P=0.016), being female (P=0.013), being non-smokers (P=0.014) or non-alcoholic (P=0.025), and with BMI>25.00 kg/m(2) (P=0.040, P=0.025) than those appeared in the control group. Same results were shown in the 60-69 years (P=0.024) old group. Data from the unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that family history of DM (OR=3.19, 95%CI: 1.45-7.03), education status (OR=1.50,95%CI: 1.08-2.08) and UCd (OR=1.61, 95%CI: 1.08-2.41) were influencing factors on DM. Conclusion: A close association between UCd and DM was noticed. UCd appeared a risk factor on DM that called for setting up related prevention program to reduce the exposure of Cd and to control the risk on DM.

Hospital-based screening to detect patients with cadmium nephropathy in cadmium-polluted areas in Japan

BackgroundIn health examinations for local inhabitants in cadmium-polluted areas, only healthy people are investigated, suggesting that patients with severe cadmium nephropathy or itai-itai disease may be overlooked. Therefore, we performed hospital-based screening to detect patients with cadmium nephropathy in two core medical institutes in cadmium-polluted areas in Akita prefecture, Japan.MethodsSubjects for this screening were selected from patients aged 60 years or older with elevated serum creatinine levels and no definite renal diseases. We enrolled 35 subjects from a hospital in Odate city and 22 from a clinic in Kosaka town. Urinary ß2-microglobulin and blood and urinary cadmium levels were measured.ResultsThe criteria for renal tubular dysfunction and the over-accumulation of cadmium were set as a urinary ß2-microglobulin level higher than 10,000 μg/g cr. and a blood cadmium level higher than 6 μg/L or urinary cadmium level higher than 10 μg/g cr., respectively. Subjects who fulfilled both criteria were diagnosed with cadmium nephropathy. Six out of 57 patients (10.5% of all subjects) had cadmium nephropathy.ConclusionsThis hospital-based screening is a very effective strategy for detecting patients with cadmium nephropathy in cadmium-polluted areas, playing a complementary role in health examinations for local inhabitants.Registration numberNo. 6, date of registration: 6 June, 2010 (Akita Rosai Hospital), and No. 1117, date of registration: 26 December, 2013 (Akita University).

Polymorphisms in gene MMP-2 modify the association of cadmium exposure with hypertension risk

BackgroundCadmium exposure has been inconsistently related with hypertension. However, epidemiologic data on the genetic susceptibility to the hypertensive effect of cadmium exposure are limited. ObjectivesWe investigated whether the associations between cadmium exposure and hypertension risk differed by genetic polymorphisms in MMPs genes. MethodsThe present study of 497 hypertension cases and 497 healthy controls was conducted in a Chinese population. Urinary cadmium levels were measured with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Multivariable logistic regression models were analyzed after controlling major confounders. ResultsWithin the multivariable logistic regression models, compared with the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of urinary cadmium had a 1.33-fold (95% CI: 1.01, 1.93) increased risk of hypertension. Carriers of rs243865 T allele and rs243866 A allele in MMP-2 were suggested to have increased risks of hypertension. The associations of urinary cadmium with hypertension risk were modified by rs14070 (P-value for interaction = 0.022) and rs7201 (P-value for interaction = 0.009) in gene MMP-2. Positively significant trends for increasing odds of hypertension with cadmium levels were observed among the wild types of rs14070 and rs7201, respectively. ConclusionsIncreasing urinary cadmium concentrations were positively associated with hypertension risk in a Chinese population, and the associations were modified by polymorphism of rs14070 and rs7201 in gene MMP-2.

Heavy Metal Cadmium Pollution Reduces the Cd14 &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; Subset of Blood Cells in a Chinese Population

Background: Cadmium exposure is increasingly prevalent, especially in many developing countries, such as China. Studies have demonstrated that cadmium exposure poses a large public health threat. However, evidence for early health damage in response to cadmium exposure is still scant. Methods: We first conducted a cross-sectional study in Hunan province, which has the highest level of cadmium land contamination in China. A total of 3,390 participants above 18 years of age were selected with cluster sampling from three districts in the Hunan region. After demographic information and blood test data were collected, a total of 3,283 subjects who met the inclusion criteria were eligible for inclusion. To screen for early health damage associated with cadmium before clinical diagnosed disease, we further excluded the individuals with hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes as well as smokers and alcohol users and a total of 1,393 individuals remained. To determine which subsets of monocyte exhibit the most dramatic changes in response to cadmium exposure, 1,393 individuals were divided by plasma cadmium levels into quarters and 15 subjects were selected from the lowest and highest quartiles for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Furthermore, we randomly enrolled 260 individuals from 780 subjects without chronic diseaes in Shimen district from January to March 2019 in the prospective validation study. Immunofluorescence staining for detecting CD14+ cells was performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) among the recruited individuals. Findings: From August 2016 to July 2017, 3,283 individuals were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. The median plasma and urine cadmium levels were 0·11 μg/L and 3·94 μg/L, respectively· Among all the blood cell types examined, only the monocyte percentage was negatively associated with plasma cadmium levels (coefficient =-0·11, P=0·048) in the multivariable linear regression analysis. ScRNA-seq analysis revealed that the CD14+ monocyte subset had the most predominant reduction in the highest quartile of cadmium exposure. Both the PBMC smear analysis and flow cytometry showed that the number of CD14+ monocytes decreased significantly in subjects in the highest cadmium quartile. In the validation study, the proportion of circulating CD14+ monocytes was also negatively associated with plasma cadmium levels (coefficient =-0·09, P=0·047) by the multivariable linear regression model. Interpretation: Cadmium exposure-associated alterations in the peripheral blood cell profile imply its effect on systemic immune surveillance and inflammatory function. This study demonstrates that the number of CD14+ monocytes is negatively associated with cadmium exposure levels and that these monocytes constitute a potential early marker for monitoring cadmium-induced health damage. Funding Statement: National Science and Technology Project (No 2015FY111100) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 81470535, 81570451, 81770403, 81870171, and 81800393). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the ethical committee of the Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and School of Public Health of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology approved the research protocol. Informed consent was obtained from the subjects or their legally authorized representatives.

Función renal, niveles urinarios de cadmio y plomo en niños del municipio de Naguanagua (estado Carabobo, Venezuela), expuestos a humo de tabaco ambiental

Objetivo: los metales presentes en las fases gaseosa y particulada del humo del tabaco ambiental, son considerados nefrotóxicos. En esta investigación se evaluó la función renal y niveles urinarios de cadmio y plomo en niños expuestos al humo de tabaco ambiental en una comunidad del municipio Naguanagua (Carabobo, Venezuela). Materiales y métodos: la muestra estuvo conformada por 43 niños (21 expuestos y 22 no expuestos), a quienes se les determinó en orina puntual índices urinarios cadmio/creatinina, plomo/creatinina, albúmina/creatinina, calcio/creatinina, fosfatasa alcalina/creatinina y β-2-microglobulina/creatinina. Resultados: en el grupo expuesto existe una correlación positiva y significativa entre β-2-microglobulina/creatinina y albúmina/creatinina independientemente del género y la edad. Los valores absolutos de los marcadores nefrotóxicos correlacionaron positiva y significativamente con sus índices, lo que indica que es útil la corrección con creatinina, con excepción de la Fosfatasa Alcalina la cual refleja mejor su utilidad diagnóstica en valores absolutos. Plomo/creatinina, β-2-microglobulina y Calcio/creatinina mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas al estratificar la muestra según grupo etario. La excreción urinaria de cadmio, tanto el grupo expuesto como el control supera ciertos puntos de corte descritos en investigaciones internacionales. Conclusiones: la evaluación de la toxicidad renal debe contar con el monitoreo de varios marcadores, dado que algunos serán más sensibles a los cambios precoces debido a exposiciones crónicas.

Temporal stability of urinary cadmium in samples collected several years apart in a population of older persons.

There is growing evidence that urine cadmium is a temporally stable biomarker indicative of long-term cadmium exposure; however questions remain with regard to generalizability to older persons, the impact of changes in smoking behavior, and the degree of temporal stability when repeat sample collection spans years instead of weeks or months. Using archived samples from cohorts of older men (Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS-US)) and women (Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF)) (mean age = 80 at study visit 2), we analyzed two morning urine samples each from 39 men and 18 women with a diverse self-reported smoking history. For MrOS, samples were collected approximately 6 years apart, and 4 years apart for SOF. Intra-class correlations were computed to assess temporal stability, and adjusted for age and body mass index. The median creatinine-adjusted urinary cadmium levels (0.39 μg/g for men, 0.89 μg/g for women) were similar to levels expected for these age/sex groups in the US according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The overall intra-class correlation was high (ICC = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76-0.91) and similar between cohorts (MrOS: ICC = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.58-0.86; SOF: ICC = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.59-0.93), but slightly lower among those who stopped smoking between visits of sample collection (ICC = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.31-0.87) or among former smokers who quit prior to the first sample collection (ICC = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.25-0.93). We report good-to-excellent reproducibility of urine cadmium using morning urine samples collected 4-6 years apart from older men and women, but slightly lower correlations among those with a history of smoking. Single measures of urine cadmium are a reliable biomarker in older men and women.

Cadmium lung adsorption, citrullination and an enhanced risk of COPD

Cadmium in cigarettes has been overlooked as a risk factor for COPD development as studies have failed to take into account lung tissue levels. The levels of cadmium in blood and urine may not reflect lung cadmium tissue levels in smokers. http://ow.ly/u6Of30lCyw8

Positive Association between Urinary Concentration of Lead, Cadmium and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Adolescents and Young Adults

Backgrounds: Urinary cadmium and lead have been associated with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in large population studies. However, there are still limited information linking exposure to heavy metal with subclinical atherosclerosis, particularly in young population.Methods: From a nationwide mass urine screening for renal health, conducted in 1992-2000 among school children 6 to 18 years of age in Taiwan, we recruited 789 subjects to participate in the cardiovascular health examination in 2006-2008. In the present study we evaluated the association between urinary levels of cadmium, lead, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, copper, and zinc with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in a cross-sectional analysis of 739 adolescents and young adults.Results: CIMT at all segments of carotid arteries significantly increased with the urinary lead and cadmium in a dose-response relationship after adjustment for major CVD risk factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher quartiles of urinary concentrations of lead and cadmium were associated with a higher risk of thicker CIMT (greater than 75th percentile). Compared to subjects with the lowest quartile (Q1) of urinary lead, the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for thicker CIMT among subjects with higher urinary lead were 2.56(1.35-4.85) for Q2, 3.76(2.00-7.08) for Q3, and 17.64(9.32-33.39) for subjects at Q4. Comparing those with lowest urinary cadmium, the corresponding aORs (95% CI) were 1.48(0.77-2.85) for Q2, 4.68(2.57-8.52) for Q3, and 13.58(7.34-25.13) for subjects at Q4.Conclusion: Higher urinary concentration of lead and cadmium was strongly associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in adolescents and young adults.

Investigation of Cadmium Exposure in Regards to Smoking Status and Moose and Caribou Organs Consumption in Northern Canada

Country food consumption among northern populations is associated with improved nutrition but occasionally can also increase contaminant exposure. Elevated cadmium levels in organs of moose harvested in the southern Mackenzie Mountains resulted in a food consumption notice by the Health and Social Services Department of the Northwest Territories, to recommend that people limit their consumption of liver and kidneys. Liver and kidneys of both moose and caribou are regularly consumed as country foods consumed in the Northwest Territories. The aim of this work is to report the levels and assess the determinants of cadmium exposures among communities of the Northwest Territories.The contaminants biomonitoring project includes dietary assessments (e.g. Food Frequency Questionnaire) and the collect of urine and blood samples. Participants were free to take part in any of the components of their choice (food questionnaires, hair/urine/blood sample). Cadmium was quantified using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The association between cadmium level, co-factors (age, sex) and potential sources (consumption of moose and caribou kidney and liver, smoking) were investigated.The 331 participants from the first 13 months of sample/data collection provided 144 blood and 127 urine samples. Participants who reported eating organs (liver, kidney) of moose and/or caribou did not have significantly higher cadmium levels. Instead, smoking status was significant determinant of cadmium levels in both blood (p&amp;lt;0.001) and urine (p&amp;#61;0.006). Results show cadmium levels similar to those observed in other populations in Canada.These results are supporting ongoing efforts to identify health priorities and plans in response to environmental monitoring data.