Decreases in Young Children Who Received Blood Lead Level Testing During COVID-19 — 34 Jurisdictions, January–May 2020

Knowledge of the extent and seriousness of childhood lead poisoning has vastly expanded since the last statement regarding lead poisoning by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1987.1 Blood lead levels once thought to be safe have been shown to be associated with IQ deficits, behavior disorders, slowed growth, and impaired hearing.2 In fact, lead poisoning is, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, "the most important environmental health problem for young children."3 The rapid development of the scientific database requires recognition by physicians of the significance of effects at lower levels and a change in clinical practice. During the last 30 years the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised downward the definition of the blood level at which lead poisoning occurs from 60 µg/dL whole blood in the early 1960s, to 30 µg/dL in 1975, and 25 µg/dL in 1985. The 1991 CDC statement "Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children" recommended lowering the community intervention level to 10 µg/dL and setting several action levels (Table 1).2 In 1987 the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that lead levels greater than 25 µg/dL were unacceptable for children.1 The Academy now recognizes that impairment of cognitive function begins to occur at levels greater than 10 µg/dL, even though clinical symptoms are not seen. In the late 1970s, the average blood lead level for US children was 16 µg/dL.4 The mean blood lead level for US children has declined since 1976 due to the phaseout of lead in gasoline5 and the reduction of lead in food, and it is now between 4 and 6 µg/dL.6

Download Full-text

Temporal pattern in the effect of postnatal blood lead level on intellectual development of young children

Neurotoxicology and Teratology ◽

10.1016/s0892-0362(00)00101-x ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 805-810 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Lourdes Schnaas ◽

Stephen J Rothenberg ◽

Estela Perroni ◽

Sandra Martı́nez ◽

Carmen Hernández ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Children ◽

Temporal Pattern ◽

Blood Lead Level ◽

Intellectual Development ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead

Download Full-text

The Department of Defense Blood Lead Level Survey Program for Young Children

Military Medicine ◽

10.1093/milmed/161.11.687 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 161 (11) ◽

pp. 687-690

Author(s):

Edward Burkhalter ◽

William Butler

Keyword(s):

Young Children ◽

Department Of Defense ◽

Blood Lead Level ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead

Download Full-text

3469 Age and racial variation in the relation between blood lead level and asthma in children: Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2016

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ◽

10.1017/cts.2019.79 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (s1) ◽

pp. 32-33

Author(s):

Magda Shaheen ◽

Deyu Pan

Keyword(s):

Young Children ◽

Blood Lead Level ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Nutrition Examination Survey ◽

Health And Nutrition ◽

Asthma Status ◽

Pb Exposure ◽

Asthma In Children ◽

Racial Ethnic

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Lead (Pb) exposure can seriously affect nervous system and kidney. Young children are vulnerable to Pb exposure. However, the role of low-level Pb exposure in asthma in children and the age and racial disparity is not well studied. The objectives are to examine the relation between Pb level and asthma status and to determine the age and racial/ethnic differences in this relation. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We analyzed data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2016 for 22,885 children 1-15 years old. Asthma information was collected by questionnaire. Blood lead level was measured using mass spectrometry. The association between blood Pb level and asthma status was assessed by logistic regression after adjusting for children’ age, gender, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and source of care; household poverty, mother’s age and smoking status. Data were analyzed using Stata 14 considering design and sample weight and p<0.05 is statistically significant. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Pb level was associated with asthma status (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=1.4, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.2-1.7, p < 0.001). Stratified analysis by age showed that blood Pb level is related to asthma only in children 1-5 years old (AOR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.5, p = 0.004). There was no racial/ethnic difference in this association. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Pb level is associated with asthma status in children especially young children. Health risk of low Pb is a concern. Preventive measures by reducing potential sources of Pb should be introduced early.

Download Full-text

Association between Blood Lead Level and Gout: The United States National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey 2007-2016

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3537105 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Man-Fung Tsoi ◽

Bernard Man Yung Cheung ◽

Chak Sing Lau ◽

Tommy Cheung

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

National Health ◽

Blood Lead Level ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead ◽

The United States

Download Full-text

Blood lead level and risk of hypertension in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2016

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-82435-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Man Fung Tsoi ◽

Chris Wai Hang Lo ◽

Tommy Tsang Cheung ◽

Bernard Man Yung Cheung

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Lead Exposure ◽

Blood Lead Level ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead ◽

The United States ◽

Study Data ◽

Blood Lead Levels ◽

Environmental Lead ◽

Lead Levels

AbstractLead is a heavy metal without a biological role. High level of lead exposure is known to be associated with hypertension, but the risk at low levels of exposure is uncertain. In this study, data from US NHANES 1999–2016 were analyzed. Adults with blood lead and blood pressure measurements, or self-reported hypertension diagnosis, were included. If not already diagnosed, hypertension was defined according to the AHA/ACC 2017 hypertension guideline. Results were analyzed using R statistics version 3.5.1 with sample weight adjustment. Logistic regression was used to study the association between blood lead level and hypertension. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were estimated. Altogether, 39,477 participants were included. Every doubling in blood lead level was associated with hypertension (OR [95%CI] 1.45 [1.40–1.50]), which remained significant after adjusting for demographics. Using quartile 1 as reference, higher blood lead levels were associated with increased adjusted odds of hypertension (Quartile 4 vs. Quartile 1: 1.22 [1.09–1.36]; Quartile 3 vs. Quartile 1: 1.15 [1.04–1.28]; Quartile 2 vs. Quartile 1: 1.14 [1.05–1.25]). In conclusion, blood lead level is associated with hypertension in the general population with blood lead levels below 5 µg/dL. Our findings suggest that reducing present levels of environmental lead exposure may bring cardiovascular benefits by reducing blood pressure.

Download Full-text

Blood lead level as a criterion of global pollution

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology ◽

10.1007/bf00199062 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Dagmar Kalavsk�

Keyword(s):

Blood Lead Level ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Global Pollution

Download Full-text

Hardness of Domestic Water and Blood Lead Levels

Human Toxicology ◽

10.1177/096032718300200411 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 645-648 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

P.C. Elwood ◽

K.M. Phillips ◽

N. Lowe ◽

J.K. Phillips ◽

C. Toothill

Keyword(s):

Blood Lead Level ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Hard Water ◽

Control Area ◽

Blood Lead Levels ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Solvent Water ◽

Small Rise ◽

Lead Levels

1 The effect on the blood lead levels of residents in an area in which a soft plumbo-solvent water was hardened is examined. 2 Water lead levels fell after hardening was introduced whereas there was a small rise in water lead levels in a control area monitored over the same time. 3 The blood lead levels of residents fell after hardening and the fall was slightly greater than would have been predicted on the basis of the change in water lead levels. This suggests that lead is less well absorbed from hard water than from soft water. 4 Following hardening there was a significant fall in mean blood lead level of subjects living in houses which had initially had negligible amounts of lead in the water. This suggests that hard water may interfere with the absorption of lead from sources other than water.

Download Full-text

Lead Poisoning: Twenty Years After

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.92.3.505 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 92 (3) ◽

pp. 505-505

Author(s):

HENRIETTA SACHS ◽

DONALD I. MOEL

Keyword(s):

Disease Control ◽

Lead Poisoning ◽

Blood Lead Level ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Neurobehavioral Development ◽

Long Term Follow Up

To the Editor.— In October 1991, the Centers for Disease Control decreased the blood lead level PbB) from 25 to 10 µg/dL and designated it as abnormal because of "overwhelming and compelling scientific evidence"1 that 10 µg/dL is associated with adverse neurobehavioral development. We have evidence to the contrary, obtained in a long-term follow-up of severely lead-poisoned children whom we treated before 1972 for PbBs between 80 and 470 µg/dL (mean, 150.3 ± 77.1 µg/dL); their mean age was 28 months.

Download Full-text

Chronic Environmental and Occupational Lead Exposure and Kidney Function among African Americans: Dallas Lead Project II

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15122875 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 2875 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Robert Reilly ◽

Susan Spalding ◽

Brad Walsh ◽

Jeanne Wainer ◽

Sue Pickens ◽

...

Keyword(s):

African Americans ◽

Kidney Function ◽

Lead Exposure ◽

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Blood Lead Level ◽

Lead Level ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Lead Smelter ◽

Male And Female ◽

Negative Effect

Background: We examined the effects of lead on kidney function in occupationally and environmentally exposed adults from a Dallas lead smelter community that was the site of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund clean-up. All subjects were African Americans—a racial group that bears a disproportionate burden of kidney disease. Methods: A two-phase health screening was conducted. Phase II included a physical examination and laboratory tests. Study subjects were African Americans residents, aged ≥19 years to ≤89 years. Of 778 subjects, 726 were environmentally exposed and 52 were both occupationally and environmentally exposed. The effects of lead exposure on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were examined in three groups: male and female smelter-community residents, as well as males with both occupational and environmental exposure. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the dependence of eGFR on log (blood lead level), duration of residence in the community, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. Results: There was a statistically significant negative effect on kidney function for all three groups. Comparison of female and male residents showed a slightly larger negative effect of blood lead level on eGFR in females versus males, with the largest effect seen in male smelter-working residents. For each unit increase (log10 10µg/dL = 1) in blood lead level, age-adjusted eGFR was reduced 21.2 mL/min/1.73 m2 in male residents, 25.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 in female residents and 59.2 mL/min/1.73 m2 in male smelter-working residents. Conclusions: Chronic lead exposure is associated with worsening kidney function in both African American male and female residents, as well as male workers in Dallas smelter communities. This effect is slightly, but not statistically significantly, worse in female residents than male residents, and significantly worse in males that both worked and resided in the smelter community.

Download Full-text