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Environmental exposure to lead, mercury, and cadmium is not associated with abnormal kidney function in Korean adolescents

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Abstract

Background

We aimed to elucidate the relationship between environmental exposure to lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) which were measured in blood and the kidney function of adolescents.

Methods

Cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2017. Statistical procedures were performed to analyze the Korean population of adolescents aged 12–17 years. Regression analysis was performed, and covariates included age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, and other heavy metal levels.

Results

The median blood levels of Pb, Hg, and Cd were 1.165 μg/dL, 1.805 μg/L, and 0.304 μg/L, respectively. Adolescents with Pb levels in the highest quartile (> 1.454 μg/dL) had a 3.35 mL/min/1.73 m2-lower estimated glomerular filtration rate using creatinine (eGFRcr) (95% confidence interval (CI), –6.03 to –0.68 mL/min/1.73 m2) compared to those in the lowest quartile (< 0.856 μg/dL) in the unadjusted model. However, there was no association between the blood Pb level and eGFRcr in the adjusted model. Levels of Hg and Cd were not associated with eGFRcr in either model. High blood levels of all three heavy metals were not associated with the risk of hypertension.

Conclusions

There was no association between increased blood levels of Pb, Hg, and Cd; eGFRcr; and increased risk of hypertension in Korean adolescents who were exposed to relatively low levels of heavy metals.

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Data availability

The database is available to the public on the KNHANES website (http://knhanes.cdc.go.kr).

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, 22 Gwanpyeong-ro 170 beon-gil, Dongan-gu, Anyang, 14068, Republic of Korea

    Sang Hyun Joo & Myung Hyun Cho

  2. Division of Biostatistics, Hallym Institute for Clinical Medicine, Hallym University Medical Center, Anyang, Republic of Korea

    Sumin Seo

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Kyo Sun Kim

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  1. Sang Hyun Joo
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Contributions

Sang Hyun Joo—Manuscript writing and discussion of data.

Sumin Seo—Manuscript writing and statistical data analysis.

Myung Hyun Cho—Design of the work, statistical data analysis, manuscript writing, and discussion of data.

Kyo Sun Kim—Design of the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Myung Hyun Cho.

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This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea (IRB No. 2020–09-032).

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Written informed consent was obtained from all the participants or their parents.

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Not applicable.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Joo, S.H., Seo, S., Cho, M.H. et al. Environmental exposure to lead, mercury, and cadmium is not associated with abnormal kidney function in Korean adolescents. Pediatr Nephrol 37, 625–631 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-021-05215-4

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