Blood Pressure and Oxidative Stress among U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead in Military Environments-A Preliminary Study

Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi

doi:10.3390/diseases6040097

Blood Pressure and Oxidative Stress among U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead in Military Environments-A Preliminary Study

Diseases. 2018 Oct 27;6(4):97. doi: 10.3390/diseases6040097.

Authors

Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi¹, Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Built Environment, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. eobenggyasi@ncat.edu.
² Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. bobenggy@purdue.edu.

Abstract

In this cross-sectional study, lead exposure among those with a history in military environments was examined. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) are clinical markers of blood pressure, while gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is a marker of oxidative stress. These markers and their effects on those exposed to military environments were explored using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2009 to 2016. Mean SBP and GGT were significantly elevated in those exposed to military environments, with a moderately significant association existing between blood lead levels (BLLs) and SBP. More attention must be given to lead exposure in military environments to mitigate the risk of exposure.

Keywords: army lead; cardiovascular lead; lead exposure; military cardiovascular; military lead.