Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Cadmium Exposure and Clinical Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review

  • Nutrition (BV Howard, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mounting evidence supports that cadmium, a toxic metal found in tobacco, air and food, is a cardiovascular risk factor. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of epidemiologic studies evaluating the association between cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease. Twelve studies were identified. Overall, the pooled relative risks (95 % confidence interval) for cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease were: 1.36 (95 % CI: 1.11, 1.66), 1.30 (95 % CI: 1.12, 1.52), 1.18 (95 % CI: 0.86, 1.59), and 1.49 (95 % CI: 1.15, 1.92), respectively. The pooled relative risks for cardiovascular disease in men, women and never smokers were 1.29 (1.12, 1.48), 1.20 (0.92, 1.56) and 1.27 (0.97, 1.67), respectively. Together with experimental evidence, our review supports the association between cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease, especially for coronary heart disease. The number of studies with stroke, heart failure (HF) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) endpoints was small. More studies, especially studies evaluating incident endpoints, are needed.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CI:

Confidence interval

CHD:

Coronary heart disease

CVD:

Cardiovascular disease

PAD:

Peripheral arterial disease

HF:

Heart failure

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2012. Toxicological Profile for Cadmium. Available at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp.asp?id=48&tid=15]. Accessed July 2013.

  2. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). 1993. Berillium, cadmium, mercury, and exposures in the glass manfactury industry. Available at: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol58/. Accessed July 2013.

  3. U.S. Geological Survey. 2013. Cadmium statistics and information. Available at: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/cadmium/index.html - myb. Accessed July 2013.

  4. Lalor GC. Review of cadmium transfers from soil to humans and its health effects and Jamaican environment. Sci Total Environ. 2008;400(1–3):162–72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Staessen JA, Vyncke G, Lauwerys RR, et al. Transfer of cadmium from a sandy acidic soil to man: A population study. Environ Res. 1992;58(1):25–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. DalCorso G, Farinati S, Maistri S, Furini A. How plants cope with cadmium: Staking all on metabolism and gene expression. J Integr Plant Biol. 2008;50(10):1268–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Golia EE, Dimirkou A, Mitsios IK. Heavy-metal concentration in tobacco leaves in relation to their available soil fractions. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal. 2009;40(1–6):106–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hogervorst J, Plusquin M, Vangronsveld J, et al. House dust as possible route of environmental exposure to cadmium and lead in the adult general population. Environ Res. 2007;103(1):30–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nordberg GF, Nogawa K, Nordberg M, Friberg L. Cadmium. In: Nordberg GF, Fowler BF, Nordberg M, Friberg L, editors. Handbook on the toxicology of metals. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2007. p. 445–86.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  10. Yassin AS, Martonik JF. Urinary cadmium levels in the U S working population, 1988–1994. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2004;1(5):324–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Messner B, Knoflach M, Seubert A, et al. Cadmium is a novel and independent risk factor for early atherosclerosis mechanisms and in vivo relevance. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009;29(9):1392–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Valko M, Morris H, Cronin MT. Metals, toxicity and oxidative stress. Curr Med Chem. 2005;12(10):1161–208.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Jin T, Lu J, Nordberg M. Toxicokinetics and biochemistry of cadmium with special emphasis on the role of metallothionein. Neurotoxicology. 1998;19(4–5):529–35.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bell SG, Vallee BL. The metallothionein/thionein system: An oxidoreductive metabolic zinc link. ChemBioChem. 2009;10(1):55–62.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Gallagher CM, Meliker JR. Blood and urine cadmium, blood pressure, and hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Health Perspect. 2010;118(12):1676–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Caciari T, Sancini A, Fioravanti M, et al.: Cadmium and hypertension in exposed workers: A meta-analysis. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2013.

  17. Satarug S, Nishijo M, Lasker JM, Edwards RJ, Moore MR. Kidney dysfunction and hypertension: Role for cadmium, p450 and heme oxygenases? Tohoku J Exp Med. 2006;208(3):179–202.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Navas-Acien A, Tellez-Plaza M, Guallar E, et al. Blood cadmium and lead and chronic kidney disease in US adults: A joint analysis. Am J Epidemiol. 2009;170(9):1156–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hwangbo Y, Weaver VM, Tellez-Plaza M, Guallar E, Lee BK, Navas-Acien A. Blood cadmium and estimated glomerular filtration rate in Korean adults. Environ Health Perspect. 2011;119(12):1800–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Stoica A, Katzenellenbogen BS, Martin MB. Activation of estrogen receptor-alpha by the heavy metal cadmium. Mol Endocrinol. 2000;14(4):545–53.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Fechner P, Damdimopoulou P, Gauglitz G. Biosensors paving the way to understanding the interaction between cadmium and the estrogen receptor alpha. PLoS One. 2011;6(8):e23048.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kluxen FM, Hofer N, Kretzschmar G, Degen GH, Diel P. Cadmium modulates expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor-associated genes in rat uterus by interaction with the estrogen receptor. Arch Toxicol. 2012;86(4):591–601.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wang B, Li Y, Shao C, Tan Y, Cai L. Cadmium and its epigenetic effects. Curr Med Chem. 2012;19(16):2611–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Jarup L, Rogenfelt A, Elinder CG, Nogawa K, Kjellstrom T. Biological half-time of cadmium in the blood of workers after cessation of exposure. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1983;9(4):327–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Nakagawa H, Nishijo M, Morikawa Y, et al. Urinary cadmium and mortality among inhabitants of a cadmium-polluted area in Japan. Environ Res. 2006;100(3):323–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Nawrot TS, Van Hecke E, Thijs L, et al. Cadmium-related mortality and long-term secular trends in the cadmium body burden of an environmentally exposed population. Environ Health Perspect. 2008;116(12):1620–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Menke A, Muntner P, Silbergeld EK, Platz EA, Guallar E. Cadmium levels in urine and mortality among U.S. adults. Environ Health Perspect. 2009;117(2):190–6.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. •• Tellez-Plaza M, Navas-Acien A, Menke A, Crainiceanu CM, Pastor-Barriuso R, Guallar E. Cadmium exposure and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the U.S. general population. Environ Health Perspect. 2012;120(7):1017–22. This is a large prospective study representative of the general US population from 1999–2004 with 8 years of follow-up. After adjusting for sociodemographic and CVD risk factors, including smoking status, recent smoking dose, and cumulative smoking dose increasing cadmium exposure was associated with cardiovascular disease, heart disease and coronary heart disease mortality.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. •• Tellez-Plaza M, Guallar E, Howard BV, et al. Cadmium exposure and incident cardiovascular disease. Epidemiol. 2013;24(3):421–9. This is a large prospective study in American Indian communities from the US with 20 years of follow-up. Cadmium exposure was moderately to strongly associated with incident cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure. The associations were similar in never smokers. The end-points were ascertained by annual mortality and morbidity reviews of hospitalization and death records and at two research clinic visits. This is the first epidemiologic study evaluating incident cardiovascular outcomes

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. •• Fagerberg B, Bergstrom G, Boren J, Barregard L: Cadmium exposure, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and peripheral artery disease: a cohort and an experimental study. BMJ Open 2013, 3(3). This is a prospective study of 64-year-old women from Sweden, with 6 years of follow-up. In this study, baseline cadmium exposure was associated with peripheral arterial disease measured at the end of the follow-up. The association appeared to be non-lineal, although the number of cases at the lower range of cadmium levels was limited.

  31. •• Tellez-Plaza M, Guallar E, Fabsitz RR, et al.: Cadmium Exposure and Incident Peripheral Arterial Disease. Submitted. This is a large prospective study in American Indian communities from the US followed up to 10 years through three examination visits. Cadmium exposure was associated with incident peripheral arterial disease after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, including smoking status, and cumulative smoking dose. The associations was also observed in never smokers, although it was not significant.

  32. Afridi HI, Kazi TG, Kazi GH, Jamali MK, Shar GQ. Essential trace and toxic element distribution in the scalp hair of Pakistani myocardial infarction patients and controls. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2006;113(1):19–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Afridi HI, Kazi TG, Kazi N, et al. Evaluation of toxic elements in scalp hair samples of myocardial infarction patients at different stages as related to controls. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2010;134(1):1–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Afridi HI, Kazi TG, Kazi N, et al. Interactions between cadmium and zinc in the biological samples of Pakistani smokers and nonsmokers cardiovascular disease patients. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011;139(3):257–68.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Arslan C, Altan H, Akgun OO, et al. Trace elements and toxic heavy metals play a role in Buerger disease and atherosclerotic peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Int Angiol. 2010;29(6):489–95.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Liu JH. Case control study on relationship between serum lead, cadmium and coronary heart disease. Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Diseases. 2008;26(11):679. Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Tang YR, Zhang SQ, Xiong Y, et al. Studies of five microelement contents in human serum, hair, and fingernails correlated with aged hypertension and coronary heart disease. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2003;92(2):97–104.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Tsai JL, Horng PH, Hwang TJ, Hsu JW, Horng CJ. Determination of urinary trace elements (arsenic, copper, cadmium, manganese, lead, zinc, selenium) in patients with Blackfoot disease. Arch Environ Health. 2004;59(12):686–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Wang M, Xu Y, Pan S, et al. Long-term heavy metal pollution and mortality in a chinese population: An ecologic study. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011;142(3):362–79.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Morgan JM. Tissue cadmium concentration in man. Arch Intern Med. 1969;123(4):405–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Adamska-Dyniewska H, Bala T, Florczak H, Trojanowska B. Blood cadmium in healthy subjects and in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Cor et Vasa. 1982;24(6):441–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Adamska-Dyniewska H, Kawecka M. Blood cadmium level in the acute phase of myocardial infarction. Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnetrznej. 1983;69(1):9–14.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Ponteva M, Elomaa I, Backman H, Hansson L, Kilpio J. Blood cadmium and plasma zinc measurements in acute myocardial infarction. Eur J Cardiol. 1979;9(5):379–91.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Rong YZ. Clinical significance of blood zinc, copper, cadmium and magnesium determinations in acute myocardial infarction. Zhonghua xin xue guan bing za zhi. 1983;11(4):256–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Scott R, Aughey E, Reilly M, Cunningham C, McClelland A, Fell GS. Renal cadmium content in the West of Scotland. Urol Res. 1983;11(6):285–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Smetana R, Glogar D, Weidinger F, Meisinger V. Heavy metal and trace element deviations. A comparison of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and coronary heart disease. Wien Med Wochenschr. 1987;137(23):553–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Sun RX, Su YX, Sun JH. Determination of trace elements in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients suffering cerebrovascular disease by atomic absorption spectrometry. Guang pu xue yu guang pu fen xi = Guang pu. 2006;26(4):720–2.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Voors AW, Shuman MS, Johnson WD. Additive statistical effects of cadmium and lead on heart-related disease in a North Carolina autopsy series. Arch Environ Health. 1982;37(2):98–102.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Adamska-Dyniewska H, Bala T, Florczak H, Trojanowska B, Trzcinka M. Blood cadmium level in coronary disease depending on the risk factors. Kardiologia polska. 1980;23(6):467–73.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Adamska-Dyniewska H, Bala T, Trojanowska B, Trzcinka M. Blood cadmium level in chronic circulatory insufficiency. Pol Tyg Lek. 1980;35(31):1173–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Voors AW, Shuman MS, Gallagher PN. Atherosclerosis and hypertension in relation to some trace elements in tissues-1. World Rev Nutr Diet. 1975;20:299–326.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. •• Li Q, Nishijo M, Nakagawa H, et al. Relationship between urinary cadmium and mortality in habitants of a cadmium-polluted area: A 22-year follow-up study in Japan. Chin Med J. 2011;124(21):3504–9. This is a large prospective study of Japanese inhabitants of a cadmium-polluted area, with 22-year follow-up. In this study, cadmium exposure as measured in urine was associated with cardiovascular disease mortality in both men and women, and with stroke mortality only in women. A limitation of this study is the lack of adjustment for smoking and other relevant cardiovascular risk factors. An additional limitation is that the number of cardiovascular deaths is limited, specially for women.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Ferraro PM, Sturniolo A, Naticchia A, D'Alonzo S, Gambaro G. Temporal trend of cadmium exposure in the United States population suggests gender specificities. Intern Med J. 2012;42(6):691–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Guallar E, Silbergeld EK, Navas-Acien A, et al. Confounding of the relation between homocysteine and peripheral arterial disease by lead, cadmium, and renal function. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;163(8):700–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Navas-Acien A, Selvin E, Sharrett AR, Calderon-Aranda E, Silbergeld E, Guallar E. Lead, cadmium, smoking, and increased risk of peripheral arterial disease. Circulation. 2004;109(25):3196–201.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Ju YR, Chen WY, Liao CM. Assessing human exposure risk to cadmium through inhalation and seafood consumption. J Hazard Mater. 2012;227–228:353–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Longnecker MP, Berlin JA, Orza MJ, Chalmers TC. A meta-analysis of alcohol consumption in relation to risk of breast cancer. JAMA. 1988;260(5):652–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Everett CJ, Frithsen IL. Association of urinary cadmium and myocardial infarction. Environ Res. 2008;106(2):284–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Agarwal S, Zaman T, Tuzcu EM, Kapadia SR. Heavy metals and cardiovascular disease: Results from the national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) 1999–2006. Angiology. 2011;62(5):422–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. • Peters JL, Perlstein TS, Perry MJ, McNeely E, Weuve J. Cadmium exposure in association with history of stroke and heart failure. Environ Res. 2010;110(2):199–206. This is a large crossectional study conducted in a representative sample of the US general population in 1999–2006. In this study cadmium exposure was associated with the prevalence of self-reported myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure, after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors including smoking status but not cumulative smoking dose and recent smoking dose . The associations were similar for men and women.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Higgins JP, Thompson SG. Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysis. Stat Med. 2002;21(11):1539–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. • Tellez-Plaza M, Navas-Acien A, Crainiceanu CM, Sharrett AR, Guallar E. Cadmium and peripheral arterial disease: Gender differences in the 1999–2004 US national health and nutrition examination survey. Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(6):671–81. This is a large crossectional study conducted in a representative sample of the US general population in 1999–2004. In this study higher blood and urine cadmium levels were associated with increased prevalence of PAD, but women never smokers showed a U-shaped relation with increased prevalence of PAD at very low cadmium levels. The models adjusted for sociodemographic and CVD risk factors, including smoking status, recent smoking dose, and cumulative smoking dose.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. • Lee MS, Park SK, Hu H, Lee S. Cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease in the 2005 Korea national health and nutrition examination survey. Environ Res. 2011;111(1):171–6. This is a crossectional study conducted in a representative sample of the Korean general population in 2005. Blood cadmium was associated with the prevalence of self-reported ischemic heart disease among men and women, and with the prevalence of self-reported stroke only in men. The models were adjusted for sociodemographic and CVD risk factors, including smoking status. The number of prevalent cardiovascular cases, however, was relatively low.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. National Center for Health Statistics. 2013. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm. Accessed July 2013.

  65. Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2013. Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHANES). Available at: http://knhanes.cdc.go.kr/knhanes/index.do. Accessed July 2013.

  66. Himeno S, Yanagiya T, Fujishiro H. The role of zinc transporters in cadmium and manganese transport in mammalian cells. Biochimie. 2009;91(10):1218–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Akerstrom M, Barregard L, Lundh T, Sallsten G. The relationship between cadmium in kidney and cadmium in urine and blood in an environmentally exposed population. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2013;268(3):286–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Akerstrom M, Sallsten G, Lundh T, Barregard L. Associations between urinary excretion of cadmium and proteins in a nonsmoking population: Renal toxicity or normal physiology? Environ Health Perspect. 2013;121(2):187–91.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Akerstrom M, Lundh T, Barregard L, Sallsten G. Sampling of urinary cadmium: Differences between 24-h urine and overnight spot urine sampling, and impact of adjustment for dilution. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2012;85(2):189–96.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Plusquin M, Nawrot TS, Staessen JA. Peripheral arterial disease and metals in urine and blood. Environ Health Perspect. 2005;113(8):A510–1. author reply A511.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Elliott P, Arnold R, Cockings S, et al. Risk of mortality, cancer incidence, and stroke in a population potentially exposed to cadmium. Occup Environ Med. 2000;57(2):94–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Sorahan T, Waterhouse JA. Mortality study of nickel-cadmium battery workers by the method of regression models in life tables. Br J Ind Med. 1983;40(3):293–300.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Elinder CG, Kjellstrom T, Hogstedt C, Andersson K, Spang G. Cancer mortality of cadmium workers. Br J Ind Med. 1985;42(10):651–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Kazantzis G, Lam TH, Sullivan KR. Mortality of cadmium-exposed workers. A five-year update. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1988;14(4):220–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Ishihara T, Kobayashi E, Okubo Y, et al. Association between cadmium concentration in rice and mortality in the Jinzu River basin. Japan Toxicology. 2001;163(1):23–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Nishijo M, Satarug S, Honda R, Tsuritani I, Aoshima K. The gender differences in health effects of environmental cadmium exposure and potential mechanisms. Mol Cell Biochem. 2004;255(1–2):87–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Vahter M, Akesson A, Liden C, Ceccatelli S, Berglund M. Gender differences in the disposition and toxicity of metals. Environ Res. 2007;104(1):85–95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Tellez-Plaza M, Navas-Acien A, Crainiceanu CM, Guallar E. Cadmium exposure and hypertension in the 1999–2004 national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES). Environ Health Perspect. 2008;116(1):51–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Hellstrom L, Elinder CG, Dahlberg B, et al. Cadmium exposure and end-stage renal disease. American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation. 2001;38(5):1001–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Kasuya M. Recent epidemiologial studies on Itai-itai disease as a chronic cadmium poisoning in Japan. Water Sci Tech. 2000;42:147–55.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Staessen JA, Roels HA, Emelianov D, et al. Environmental exposure to cadmium, forearm bone density, and risk of fractures: prospective population study. Public Health and Environmental Exposure to Cadmium (PheeCad) Study Group. Lancet. 1999;353(9159):1140–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Chen X, Zhu G, Jin T, et al. Changes in bone mineral density 10 years after marked reduction of cadmium exposure in a Chinese population. Environ Res. 2009;109(7):874–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  83. US Department of Health and Human Services. 2010. A report of the surgeon general: how tobacco smoke causes disease. The biology and behavioral basis for smoking-attributable disease. Available at: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/tobaccosmoke/index.html. Accessed July 2013.

  84. Tellez-Plaza M, Navas-Acien A, Caldwell KL, Menke A, Muntner P, Guallar E. Reduction in cadmium exposure in the United States population, 1988–2008: the contribution of declining smoking rates. Environ Health Perspect. 2012;120(2):204–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  85. Swaddiwudhipong W, Mahasakpan P, Limpatanachote P, Krintratun S. Correlations of urinary cadmium with hypertension and diabetes in persons living in cadmium-contaminated villages in northwestern Thailand: A population study. Environ Res. 2010;110(6):612–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  86. Swaddiwudhipong W, Limpatanachote P, Mahasakpan P, Krintratun S, Punta B, Funkhiew T. Progress in cadmium-related health effects in persons with high environmental exposure in northwestern Thailand: a five-year follow-up. Environ Res. 2012;112:194–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  87. Schwartz GG, Il'yasova D, Ivanova A. Urinary cadmium, impaired fasting glucose, and diabetes in the NHANES III. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(2):468–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  88. Barregard L, Bergstrom G, Fagerberg B. Cadmium exposure in relation to insulin production, insulin sensitivity and type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional and prospective study in women. Environ Res. 2013;121:104–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  89. •• Fagerberg B, Bergstrom G, Boren J, Barregard L. Cadmium exposure is accompanied by increased prevalence and future growth of atherosclerotic plaques in 64-year-old women. J Intern Med. 2012;272(6):601–10. In this study of 64-year-old women from Sweden, with over 6 years of follow-up, cadmium exposure was cross-sectionally and prospectively associated with the presence of carotide plaque, after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors including cumulative smoking dose. Cadmium exposure at baseline was also positively associated with the change in carotid plaque area at the end of the follow-up. Cadmium-related subclinical atherosclerosis is especially relevant for clinical cardiovascular disease prevention.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  90. Bjorkman L, Vahter M, Pedersen NL. Both the environment and genes are important for concentrations of cadmium and lead in blood. Environ Health Perspect. 2000;108(8):719–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  91. Whitfield JB, Dy V, McQuilty R, et al. Genetic effects on toxic and essential elements in humans: Arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc in erythrocytes. Environ Health Perspect. 2010;118(6):776–82.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  92. Rentschler G, Kippler M, Axmon A, et al. Polymorphisms in iron homeostasis genes and urinary cadmium concentrations among nonsmoking women in Argentina and Bangladesh. Environ Health Perspect. 2013;121(4):467–72. 472e461-467.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. Khansakorn N, Wongwit W, Tharnpoophasiam P, et al. Genetic variations of glutathione s-transferase influence on blood cadmium concentration. J Toxicol. 2012;2012:356126.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  94. Kayaalti Z, Aliyev V, Soylemezoglu T. The potential effect of metallothionein 2A–5A/G single nucleotide polymorphism on blood cadmium, lead, zinc and copper levels. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2011;256(1):1–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  95. Kayaalti Z, Mergen G, Soylemezoglu T. Effect of metallothionein core promoter region polymorphism on cadmium, zinc and copper levels in autopsy kidney tissues from a Turkish population. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2010;245(2):252–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  96. Lei L, Chang X, Rentschler G, et al. A polymorphism in metallothionein 1A (MT1A) is associated with cadmium-related excretion of urinary beta 2-microglobulin. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2012;265(3):373–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  97. Feinberg AP. Genome-scale approaches to the epigenetics of common human disease. Virchows Archiv: An international journal of pathology. 2010;456(1):13–21.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by grants from the US National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (R01HL090863) and the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (R01ES021367). M.T.-P. and A.D.L. were supported by a Miguel Servet grant from the Funds for Research in Health Sciences, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain (CP12/03080). M.R.J. was also supported by the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Institutional Training from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (T32HL007024).

Conflict of Interest

Maria Tellez-Plaza, Miranda R Jones, Alejandro Dominguez-Lucas, Eliseo Guallarm and Ana Navas-Acien declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundacion de Investigacion del Hospital Clinico de Valencia-INCLIVA, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010, Valencia, Spain

    Maria Tellez-Plaza & Alejandro Dominguez-Lucas

  2. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Room W7513D, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Maria Tellez-Plaza, Miranda R. Jones & Ana Navas-Acien

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2024 E. Monument Street, Room 2-639, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Miranda R. Jones, Eliseo Guallar & Ana Navas-Acien

  4. Department of Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Miranda R. Jones, Eliseo Guallar & Ana Navas-Acien

  5. Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Eliseo Guallar

  6. Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Ana Navas-Acien

Authors
  1. Maria Tellez-Plaza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Miranda R. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alejandro Dominguez-Lucas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eliseo Guallar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ana Navas-Acien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Tellez-Plaza.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Nutrition

Electronic Supplementary Material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(PDF 95 kb)

ESM 2

(PDF 66 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tellez-Plaza, M., Jones, M.R., Dominguez-Lucas, A. et al. Cadmium Exposure and Clinical Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review. Curr Atheroscler Rep 15, 356 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-013-0356-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-013-0356-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation