TY - JOUR
T1 - Blood lead level and kidney function in US adolescents
T2 - The third national health and nutrition examination survey
AU - Fadrowski, Jeffrey J.
AU - Navas-Acien, Ana
AU - Tellez-Plaza, Maria
AU - Guallar, Eliseo
AU - Weaver, Virginia M.
AU - Furth, Susan L.
PY - 2010/1/11
Y1 - 2010/1/11
N2 - Background: Chronic, high-level lead exposure is a known risk factor for kidney disease. The effect of current low-level environmental lead exposure is less well known, particularly among children, a population generally free from kidney disease risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the association between lead exposure and kidney function in a representative sample of US adolescents. Methods: Participants included 769 adolescents aged 12 to 20 years for whom whole blood lead and serum cystatin C were measured in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 1988-1994. The association between blood lead level and level of kidney function (glomerular filtration rate [GFR]), determined by cystatin C-based and creatinine-based estimating equations, was examined. Results: Median whole blood lead level was 1.5 μg/dL (to convert to micromoles per liter, multiply by 0.0483), and median cystatin C-estimated GFR was 112.9 mL/min/ 1.73 m2. Participants with lead levels in the highest quartile (≥3.0 μg/dL) had 6.6 mL/min/1.73 m2-lower estimated GFR (95% confidence interval, -0.7 to -12.6 mL/min/1.73m2) compared with those in the first quartile (<1 μg/dL). A doubling of blood lead level was associated with a 2.9 mL/min/1.73 m2-lower estimated GFR (95% confidence interval, -0.7 to -5.0 mL/min/1.73 m2). Lead levels were also associated with lower creatinine-based estimated GFR levels, but the association was weaker than with cystatin C-based GFR and not statistically significant. Conclusions: Higher blood lead levels in a range below the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-designated level of concern (10 μg/dL) were associated with lower estimated GFRs in a representative sample of US adolescents. This finding contributes to the increasing epidemiologic evidence indicating an adverse effect of low-level environmental lead exposure.
AB - Background: Chronic, high-level lead exposure is a known risk factor for kidney disease. The effect of current low-level environmental lead exposure is less well known, particularly among children, a population generally free from kidney disease risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the association between lead exposure and kidney function in a representative sample of US adolescents. Methods: Participants included 769 adolescents aged 12 to 20 years for whom whole blood lead and serum cystatin C were measured in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 1988-1994. The association between blood lead level and level of kidney function (glomerular filtration rate [GFR]), determined by cystatin C-based and creatinine-based estimating equations, was examined. Results: Median whole blood lead level was 1.5 μg/dL (to convert to micromoles per liter, multiply by 0.0483), and median cystatin C-estimated GFR was 112.9 mL/min/ 1.73 m2. Participants with lead levels in the highest quartile (≥3.0 μg/dL) had 6.6 mL/min/1.73 m2-lower estimated GFR (95% confidence interval, -0.7 to -12.6 mL/min/1.73m2) compared with those in the first quartile (<1 μg/dL). A doubling of blood lead level was associated with a 2.9 mL/min/1.73 m2-lower estimated GFR (95% confidence interval, -0.7 to -5.0 mL/min/1.73 m2). Lead levels were also associated with lower creatinine-based estimated GFR levels, but the association was weaker than with cystatin C-based GFR and not statistically significant. Conclusions: Higher blood lead levels in a range below the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-designated level of concern (10 μg/dL) were associated with lower estimated GFRs in a representative sample of US adolescents. This finding contributes to the increasing epidemiologic evidence indicating an adverse effect of low-level environmental lead exposure.
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U2 - 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.417
DO - 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.417
M3 - Article
C2 - 20065202
AN - SCOPUS:74549128533
SN - 0003-9926
VL - 170
SP - 75
EP - 82
JO - Archives of internal medicine
JF - Archives of internal medicine
IS - 1
ER -