Association between urine lead levels and cardiovascular disease risk factors, carotid intima-media thickness and metabolic syndrome in adolescents and young adults

Chien-Yu Lin; Po-Chin Huang; Charlene Wu; Fung-Chang Sung; Ta-Chen Su

doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.08.005

Association between urine lead levels and cardiovascular disease risk factors, carotid intima-media thickness and metabolic syndrome in adolescents and young adults

Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2020 Jan;223(1):248-255. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.08.005. Epub 2019 Aug 22.

Authors

Chien-Yu Lin¹, Po-Chin Huang², Charlene Wu³, Fung-Chang Sung⁴, Ta-Chen Su⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City, 237, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 242, Taiwan; Department of Environmental Engineering and Health, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
² National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
³ Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
⁵ Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan. Electronic address: tachensu@ntu.edu.tw.

PMID: 31447285
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.08.005

Abstract

Background: Environmental lead exposure is a known risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in animal and human epidemiological studies of adults, but limited research has been conducted in young populations. Moreover, the association between lead level and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) has never been documented.

Design: and Participants: In this study, 738 subjects were recruited from a cohort of Taiwanese adolescents and young adults to study the relationship between lead levels in urine and CVD risk factors, metabolic syndrome (MS) and CIMT.

Results: The geometric mean of the urine lead level was 1.50 μg/g creatinine. We found a significant positive association between urine lead levels and CVD risk factors, including diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), as well as markers of glucose homeostasis, such as serum glucose, serum insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β), body mass index (BMI) z score, and CIMT. Overall, increased urine lead concentrations were positively correlated with the prevalence of MS, specifically the criteria of waist/BMI and serum HDL-C. The relationship between urine lead levels and CIMT remained unchanged in all subgroups.

Conclusion: In this study, we found that increased urinary levels of lead were positively associated with CVD risk factors, CIMT, and MS in this cohort. Future research to explore the pathogenic basis of exposure to lead and risk of CVDs and their risk factors are warranted.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT); Lead; Metabolic syndrome.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology*
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / statistics & numerical data*
Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data*
Environmental Pollutants / urine*
Female
Humans
Lead / urine*
Male
Metabolic Syndrome / epidemiology*
Risk Factors
Young Adult

Substances

Environmental Pollutants
Lead