Relationships of Lead, Mercury and Cadmium Levels with the Timing of Menarche among Korean Girls

Purpose: This study utilized data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to explore differences in the timing of menarche in Korean girls according to blood heavy metal concentrations.Methods: This study performed a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the sixth KNHANES. Data from 179 female children and adolescents aged 10~18 were included in this study. The relationships of blood heavy metal concentrations (lead, mercury, and cadmium) with age of menarche were analyzed using complex sample multiple logistic regression.Results: In the participants of this study, the geometric mean values of blood lead, mercury, and cadmium concentrations were 1.15±0.04 μg/dL, 1.80±0.08 μg/L, and 0.30±0.03 μg/L, respectively. Mercury poisoning (>5 μg/L) was found in 1.5% of participants. Furthermore, significant relationships were found between blood lead and mercury concentrations and age at menarche (p for trend: p<.001 and p=.015, respectively).Conclusion: Through an analysis of national big data, this study found evidence that Korean girls showed a younger age at menarche in response to higher blood lead and mercury concentrations. To prevent and manage precocious puberty in Korean children and adolescents, a systematic policy that monitors both exposure to environmental hazards and blood heavy metal concentrations is needed.

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Environmental science and pollution research role of heavy metal concentrations and vitamin intake from food in depression: a national cross-sectional study (2009–2017)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research ◽

10.1007/s11356-021-15986-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hai Duc Nguyen ◽

Hojin Oh ◽

Ngoc Hong Minh Hoang ◽

Won Hee Jo ◽

Min-Sun Kim

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metal ◽

Environmental Science ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Metal Concentrations ◽

Heavy Metal Concentrations ◽

Vitamin Intake ◽

Pollution Research

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MON-099 The Association Between C-Reactive Protein, Metabolic Syndrome, and Pre-Diabetes in Korean Children and Adolescents

Journal of the Endocrine Society ◽

10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.015 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Jihyun Kim ◽

Jong Bin Lee ◽

Jung Sub Lim

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Low Grade ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Hscrp Level ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Korean Children ◽

Reactive Protein

Abstract Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death worldwide, including in Korea. In adults, the risk for CVD is increased approximately three-fold in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the hazard ratio for subjects with MetS has been reported as 1.37 for mortality from CVD after adjustment for other confounders. Furthermore, MetS in childhood predicts adult MetS and T2DM 25 to 30 years later. Because MetS is a state of chronic low-grade inflammation, measurements of the circulating levels of the inflammatory molecules might provide diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to modulate or alter disease progression. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a biomarker of inflammation, has emerged as an independent predictor of CVD and T2DM development. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the association between hsCRP and MetS and its components in Korean children and adolescents. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016–2017. We analyzed the data of 1,247 subjects (633 males, 14.2 ± 2.7 years) from the KNHANES 2016–2017. MetS were defined by the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria. Results: Among the 1,247 subjects (mean age: 14.2 ± 2.7 years), the prevalence of MetS was 5.8% (7.0% in male subjects and 4.6% in female subjects; p = 0.070). The mean hsCRP level was 0.861 ± 1.567 mg/l (median and interquartile range: 0.370 and 0.430mg/l). Subjects with MetS had higher hsCRP levels than subjects without MetS (geometric mean: 1.08 vs. 0.46 mg/l, p < 0.001). The prevalence of MetS in the lowest, second, third, and highest hsCRP quartiles were 1.8%, 2.4%, 3.5%, and 15.2%, respectively. Compared to the lowest quartile, the odds ratio (OR) for having MetS in the highest quartile was 8.414 (3.272–21.638), adjusting for age and sex. The OR for having abdominal obesity and low HDL-C in the highest quartile were 9.657 (4.818–19.355) and 2.408 (1.286–4.510), adjusting for age, sex, and other components of the MetS. Additionally, the OR for having pre-diabetes (HbA1c ≥ 5.7%) in the highest quartile was 2.061 (1.097–3.870). Conclusion: Serum hsCRP level is positively associated with MetS and pre-diabetes in Korean children and adolescents.

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Associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure in residents of Asian countries

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12199-021-01027-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yuki Mizuno ◽

Hana Shimizu-Furusawa ◽

Shoko Konishi ◽

Tsukasa Inaoka ◽

Sk Akhtar Ahmad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Heavy Metal ◽

Individual Characteristics ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Asian Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Metal Concentrations ◽

Heavy Metal Concentrations ◽

Cadmium Lead

Abstract Background Previous studies have suggested that exposures to heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium) may be associated with differences in blood pressure. However, the findings of these studies have been inconsistent. This study was performed to examine the associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure among residents of four Asian countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam). Methods This cross-sectional study examined 1899 adults in four Asian countries. Urinary concentrations of heavy metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A questionnaire survey was administered regarding individual characteristics. Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) were performed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured after a short rest. Multiple linear regression models were applied to investigate associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure after adjustments for age, sex, and body mass index. Results The geometric means of the urinary concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium were 84.6, 0.885, 2.09, and 16.5 μg/g creatinine, respectively. The urinary arsenic concentrations were slightly higher than those typically reported in non-polluted populations, while urinary cadmium, lead, and selenium concentrations were equivalent or slightly lower. The urinary lead concentrations were positively associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but urinary selenium concentrations were negatively associated with them. Conclusions Variations in the urinary concentrations of lead and selenium were associated with blood pressure at low levels of exposure/intake.

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