Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Association of serum lead and mercury level with cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes in a nationally representative sample of adolescents: the CASPIAN-III study

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aims to determine the difference of serum Pb and Hg levels in adolescents with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the association of serum levels of these heavy metals with cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes in Iranian adolescents. The study population consisted of 320 adolescents (160 with MetS and 160 healthy controls). The relationship between serum heavy metals and cardiometabolic risk factors was assessed by linear regression. The odds ratios (OR) of having metabolic syndrome across Pb and Hg quartiles were determined by multiple logistic regression analysis. The mean (SD) of Pb and Hg concentrations were higher in adolescents with MetS than in those without it (0.83 (0.27) and 0.17 (0.01) vs. 0.65 (0.15) and 0.10 (0.08) μg/L, P = 0.01 and 0.0001, respectively). Increase in serum Pb and Hg was associated with increase in some cardiometabolic risk factors. Among boys and girls, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and alanine aminotransaminase increased significantly across quartiles of serum Pb. Among girls, SBP, DBP, TC, and TG had a significant increase across Hg quartiles. The corresponding figure among boys was significant for SBP, DBP, and TG. Higher quartiles of Pb increased the risk of having MetS (OR 95 % CI 3.10, 2.25–4.27), the corresponding figure was 2.03, 1.75–3.16, across Hg quartiles. Our study showed significant associations between serum Pb and Hg levels with cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents. In future surveys, the role of potential confounders should be considered more extensively. The clinical significance of these findings needs to be confirmed in longitudinal studies. By considering the origins of chronic diseases from early life, controlling environmental pollutants should be considered as a health priority for primordial or primary prevention of noncommunicable diseases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aelion CM, Davis HT, Lawson AB, Cai B, McDermott S (2012) Associations of estimated residential soil arsenic and lead concentrations and community-level environmental measures with mother-child health conditions in South Carolina. Health Place 18(4):774–781

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahar A, Hosseini Esfahani F, Asghari Jafarabadi M, Mehrabi Y, Azizi F (2013) The structure of metabolic syndrome components across follow-up survey from childhood to adolescence. Int J Endocrinol Metab 11(1):16–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Barry PS, Mossman DB (1970) Lead concentrations in human tissues. Br J Ind Med 27(4):339–351

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cook S, Weitzman M, Auinger P, Nguyen M, Dietz WH (2003) Prevalence of a metabolic syndrome phenotype in adolescents: findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 157(8):821–827

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danaei G, Finucane MM, Lu Y, Singh GM, Cowan MJ, Paciorek CJ et al (2011) National, regional, and global trends in fasting plasma glucose and diabetes prevalence since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 370 country-years and 2 · 7 million participants. Lancet 378(9785):31–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delavari A, Forouzanfar MH, Alikhani S, Sharifian A, Kelishadi R (2009) First nationwide study of the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and optimal cutoff points of waist circumference in the Middle East: the national survey of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases of Iran. Diabetes Care 32(6):1092–1097

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Cesare M, Khang YH, Asaria P, Blakely T, Cowan MJ, Farzadfar F et al (2013) Inequalities in non-communicable diseases and effective responses. Lancet 381(9866):585–597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleisch AF, Burns JS, Williams PL, Lee MM, Sergeyev O, Korrick SA et al (2013) Blood lead levels and serum insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations in peripubertal boys. Environ Health Perspect 121(7):854–858

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gari M, Grimalt JO, Torrent M, Sunyer J (2013) Influence of socio-demographic and diet determinants on the levels of mercury in preschool children from a Mediterranean island. Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987);182C:291–8

  • Genuth S, Alberti KG, Bennett P, Buse J, Defronzo R, Kahn R et al (2003) Follow-up report on the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 26(11):3160–3167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hong TK, Trang NH, Dibley MJ (2012) Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and factor analysis of cardiovascular risk clustering among adolescents in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Prev Med 55(5):409–411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houston MC (2007) The role of mercury and cadmium heavy metals in vascular disease, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction. Altern Ther Health Med 13(2):S128–S133

    Google Scholar 

  • Hruba F, Stromberg U, Cerna M, Chen C, Harari F, Harari R et al (2012) Blood cadmium, mercury, and lead in children: an international comparison of cities in six European countries, and China, Ecuador, and Morocco. Environ Int 41:29–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussein Were F, Njue W, Murungi J, Wanjau R (2008) Use of human nails as bio-indicators of heavy metals environmental exposure among school age children in Kenya. Sci Total Environ 393(2–3):376–384

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kargarfard M, Poursafa P, Rezanejad S, Mousavinasab F (2011) Effects of exercise in polluted air on the aerobic power, serum lactate level and cell blood count of active individuals. Int J Prev Med 2(3):145–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R (2007) Childhood overweight, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome in developing countries. Epidemiol Rev 29:62–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R, Poursafa P (2014) A review on the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle aspects of the early-life origins of cardiovascular disease. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 44(3):54–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R, Ardalan G, Gheiratmand R, Adeli K, Delavari A, Majdzadeh R (2006) Paediatric metabolic syndrome and associated anthropometric indices: the CASPIAN Study. Acta Paediatr 95(12):1625–1634

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R, Cook SR, Adibi A, Faghihimani Z, Ghatrehsamani S, Beihaghi A et al (2009a) Association of the components of the metabolic syndrome with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among normal-weight, overweight and obese children and adolescents. Diabetol Metab Syndr 1:29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R, Mirghaffari N, Poursafa P, Gidding SS (2009b) Lifestyle and environmental factors associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance in children. Atherosclerosis 203(1):311–319

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R, Heshmat R, Motlagh ME, Majdzadeh R, Keramatian K, Qorbani M et al (2012) Methodology and early findings of the Third Survey of CASPIAN Study: a national school-based surveillance of students’ high risk behaviors. Int J Prev Med 3(6):394–401

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R, Motlagh ME, Roomizadeh P, Abtahi SH, Qorbani M, Taslimi M et al (2013a) First report on path analysis for cardiometabolic components in a nationally representative sample of pediatric population in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): the CASPIAN-III Study. Ann Nutr Metab 62(3):257–265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelishadi R, Askarieh A, Motlagh ME, Tajadini M, Heshmat R, Ardalan G et al (2013b) Association of blood cadmium level with cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes in a nationally representative sample of adolescents: the CASPIAN-III study. J Environ Public Health 2013:142856

    Google Scholar 

  • Kent AL (2012) Developmental origins of health and adult disease: what should neonatologists/paediatricians be considering about the long-term health of their patients? J Paediatr Child Health 48(9):730–734

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khashayar P, Heshmat R, Qorbani M, Motlagh ME, Aminaee T, Ardalan G et al (2013) Metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors in a national sample of adolescent population in the Middle East and North Africa: The CASPIAN III Study. Int J Endocrinol 2013:702095

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lind PM, Risérus U, Salihovic S, Bavel B, Lind L (2013) An environmental wide association study (EWAS) approach to the metabolic syndrome. Environ Int 55:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsuo N, Suzuki T, Akagi H (1989) Mercury concentration in organs of contemporary Japanese. Arch Environ Health 44(5):298–303

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadi F, Qorbani M, Kelishadi R, Baygi F, Ardalan G, Taslimi M et al (2014) Association of cardiometabolic risk factors and hepatic enzymes in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents: The CASPIAN-III Study. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 58(4):463–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nabavi SM, Jafari B, Jalali MS, Nedjat S, Ashrafi K, Salahesh A (2012) Environmental air pollution and acute cerebrovascular complications: an ecologic study in Tehran, Iran. Int J Prev Med 3(10):723–729

    Google Scholar 

  • National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group on High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents (2004) The fourth report on the diagnosis,evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. Pediatrics 114(2 Suppl 4th Report):555–576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nieboer E, Tsuji LJ, Martin ID, Liberda EN (2013) Human biomonitoring issues related to lead exposure. Environ Sci Process Impacts 15(10):1824–1829

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park HS, Han JH, Choi KM, Kim SM (2005) Relation between elevated serum alanine aminotransferase and metabolic syndrome in Korean adolescents. Am J Clin Nutr 82(5):1046–1051

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park SK, Schwartz J, Weisskopf M, Sparrow D, Vokonas PS, Wright RO et al (2006) Low-level lead exposure, metabolic syndrome, and heart rate variability: the VA Normative Aging Study. Environ Health Perspect 114(11):1718

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park SB, Choi SW, Nam AY (2009) Hair tissue mineral analysis and metabolic syndrome. Biol Trace Elem Res 130(3):218–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pollack AZ, Schisterman EF, Goldman LR, Mumford SL, Perkins NJ, Bloom MS et al (2012) Relation of blood cadmium, lead, and mercury levels to biomarkers of lipid peroxidation in premenopausal women. Am J Epidemiol 175(7):645–652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen K, Skytte L, Pilekær C, Lauritsen A, Boldsen J, Leth P et al (2013) The distribution of mercury and other trace elements in the bones of two human individuals from medieval Denmark—the chemical life history hypothesis. Herit Sci 1(1):1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhee SY, Hwang YC, Woo JT, Sinn DH, Chin SO, Chon S et al (2013) Blood lead is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults: an analysis based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2008. Cardiovasc Diabetol 12(1):9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salonen JT, Seppanen K, Lakka TA, Salonen R, Kaplan GA (2000) Mercury accumulation and accelerated progression of carotid atherosclerosis: a population-based prospective 4-year follow-up study in men in eastern Finland. Atherosclerosis 148(2):265–273

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberger J, Daniels SR (2003) Obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk in children: an American Heart Association scientific statement from the Atherosclerosis, Hypertension, and Obesity in the Young Committee (Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young) and the Diabetes Committee (Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism). Circulation 107(10):1448–1453

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) final report (2002) Circulation 106(25):3143–421

  • Valera B, Muckle G, Poirier P, Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL, Dewailly E (2012) Cardiac autonomic activity and blood pressure among Inuit children exposed to mercury. Neurotoxicology 33(5):1067–1074

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walker SE, Gurka MJ, Oliver MN, Johns DW, DeBoer MD (2012) Racial/ethnic discrepancies in the metabolic syndrome begin in childhood and persist after adjustment for environmental factors. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 22(2):141–148

  • Wolkin A, Hunt D, Martin C, Caldwell KL, McGeehin MA (2012) Blood mercury levels among fish consumers residing in areas with high environmental burden. Chemosphere 86(9):967–971

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang A, Hu H, Sanchez BN, Ettinger AS, Park SK, Cantonwine D et al (2012) Association between prenatal lead exposure and blood pressure in children. Environ Health Perspect 120(3):445–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the large team working with this nationwide study. This study was funded by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environment Engineering Department, Environment Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Parinaz Poursafa

  2. Pediatrics Department, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezar Jarib Ave, Isfahan, Iran

    Ehsan Ataee, Gelayol Ardalan, Maryam Yazdi & Roya Kelishadi

  3. Pediatrics Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Mohammad Esmaeel Motlagh

  4. Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Mohammad Hassan Tajadini

Authors
  1. Parinaz Poursafa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ehsan Ataee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohammad Esmaeel Motlagh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gelayol Ardalan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mohammad Hassan Tajadini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Maryam Yazdi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Roya Kelishadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roya Kelishadi.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Poursafa, P., Ataee, E., Motlagh, M.E. et al. Association of serum lead and mercury level with cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes in a nationally representative sample of adolescents: the CASPIAN-III study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 13496–13502 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3238-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3238-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation