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Mercury in serum predicts low risk of death and myocardial infarction in Gothenburg women

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Abstract

Purpose

Markers of mercury (Hg) exposure have shown both positive and negative associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We assessed the association between serum Hg (S–Hg) and risk of cardiovascular disease in a prospective population-based cohort, with attention to the roles of dental health and fish consumption.

Methods

Total mortality, as well as morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke, was followed up for 32 years in 1,391 women (initially age 38–60), in relation to S–Hg at baseline, using Cox regression models. Potential confounders (age, socioeconomic status, serum lipids, alcohol consumption, dental health, smoking, hypertension, waist-hip ratio, and diabetes) and other covariates (e.g., fish consumption) were also considered.

Results

Hazard ratios (HR) adjusted only for age showed strong inverse associations between baseline S–Hg and total mortality [highest quartile: hazard ratio (HR) 0.76; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59–0.97], incident AMI (HR 0.56; CI 0.34–0.93), and fatal AMI (HR 0.31; CI 0.15–0.66). Adjustment for potential confounding factors, especially dental health, had a strong impact on the risk estimates, and after adjustment, only the reduced risk of fatal AMI remained statistically significant.

Conclusions

There was a strong inverse association between Hg exposure and CVD. Likely, reasons are confounding with good dental health (also correlated with the number of amalgam fillings in these age groups) and/or fish consumption. The results suggest potential effects of dental health and/or fish consumption on CVD that deserve attention in preventive medicine.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research; the Swedish Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences, and Spatial Planning; the Medical Faculties of Umeå, Gothenburg and Lund Universities; the County councils of south and southwest Sweden; and the European Union (FP6; PHIME: FOOD-CT-2006-016253). The European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Dr. Ragnhild Lenner from the Department of Clinical Nutrition is acknowledged for the collection of dietary data.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University, SE 90185, Umeå, Sweden

    Ingvar A. Bergdahl & Maria Wennberg

  2. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Margareta Ahlqwist

  3. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine/Primary Health Care, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Cecilia Björkelund & Ann Blomstrand

  4. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Valter Sundh & Lauren Lissner

  5. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Lars Barregard

  6. Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Staffan Skerfving

Authors
  1. Ingvar A. Bergdahl
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  2. Margareta Ahlqwist
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  3. Lars Barregard
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  4. Cecilia Björkelund
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  5. Ann Blomstrand
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  7. Valter Sundh
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  8. Maria Wennberg
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  9. Lauren Lissner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ingvar A. Bergdahl.

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Bergdahl, I.A., Ahlqwist, M., Barregard, L. et al. Mercury in serum predicts low risk of death and myocardial infarction in Gothenburg women. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 86, 71–77 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0746-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0746-8

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