A meta-analysis of blood lead levels in India and the attributable burden of disease (original) (raw)
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Blood lead level in school going children of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Turkish Journal of Biochemistry, 2021
ObjectivesLead exposure in children contributes to 600,000 new cases of intellectual disabilities every year with maximum occurrence in developing countries. Currently limited information is available on the blood lead level (BLL) in children of India. The aim was to estimate BLL in the school going children of local population of Jodhpur.MethodsFour hundred twenty-six primary school children of government and private schools participated in this cross sectional study. Information regarding possible lead exposure was collected. BLL was estimated on Lead Care II analyser (Magellan Diagnostics, USA).ResultsThe mean and median BLL were 4.25 ± 1.75 μg/dL (<3.3–22.6 μg/dL) and 3.5 μg/dL (Inter Quartile Range 0.9). BLL was higher in children of illiterate mothers, those residing near traffic dense areas, urban region and studying in government schools of urban region.ConclusionsBLL in children residing in Jodhpur is much higher in comparison to western counterparts. Screening and aware...
Environmental Research, 2004
The disease burden from exposure to lead resulting in mild mental retardation (due to IQ point decreases) and cardiovascular outcomes (due to increases in blood pressure) was estimated at a global level. Blood lead levels were compiled from the literature for 14 geographical regions defined by the World Health Organization according to location and adult and child mortality rates. Adjustments were applied to these levels, where appropriate, to account for recent changes relating to the implementation of leadreduction programs and the lower levels seen in rural populations. It is estimated that mild mental retardation and cardiovascular outcomes resulting from exposure to lead amount to almost 1% of the global burden of disease, with the highest burden in developing regions. This estimate can be used to assess the magnitude of the benefits that could be accrued by increasing the global coverage of lead-reduction programs. r
Lead exposure and visual-motor abilities in children from Chennai, India
NeuroToxicology, 2011
Lead exposure poses a major environmental hazard in India, but little information is available on the impact of lead exposure on neurobehavioral development in Indian children. We hypothesize that higher blood lead levels are associated with poorer visual-motor, visual-spatial and fine motor functioning among children. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 814 school children, aged 3-7 years. Lead in whole blood was measured using the LeadCare Analyzer. The Wide Range of Visual Motor Abilities Test (WRAVMA) was administered to each child by trained examiners. The mean blood lead level was 11.4 ± 5.3 μg//dL. In multivariate analyses adjusting for mother's education level, fathers education level, average monthly income, hemoglobin and sex, WRAVMA scores were inversely related to blood lead level. An increase of 10 μg/dL was associated with a decrease of 2.6 points (95% CI: −4.5 to −0.7, P=0.006) in the Visual Motor Composite score and a decrease of 2.9 points (95% CI: −5.1 to −0.7, P=0.011) in the Drawing subtest. Exploration of the shape of the dose-effect relationships using spline functions indicated some non-linearities, with the steepest declines in visual-motor skills occurring at higher blood lead levels. Among urban Indian children, higher blood lead levels are associated with decreased visual-motor abilities, particularly visual-motor integration.
Spatial variations in elevated blood lead levels among young children in Mumbai, India
Population Space and Place, 2006
This study examines the impact of living near tidal creeks or industries on blood lead levels among children below three years of age in Mumbai, India. Data were obtained from the National Family Health Survey-2 (NFHS-2) conducted in 1998, which covered a representative sample of the population. Of the 412 children tested for blood lead, 50% had elevated levels (≥10µg/dl). Several areas in Mumbai have higher rates of elevated blood lead levels than we would expect in general. After adjustment for the child's age, standard of living, anaemia, birth order, household type and utensils, children living in industrial areas were 1.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.3–2.8) times as likely to have lead levels ≥10µg/dl compared with children living in non-industrial areas. Similarly, the odds ratio for children living in areas with a tidal creek was 1.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.1–2.2) compared with children from non-tidal creek areas. These findings are of public health concern, as most children in Mumbai are likely to suffer some degree of intellectual impairment as a result of environmental lead exposure. The evidence shows the need for appropriate interventions in reducing the burden of lead poisoning due to environment-related factors, at least in the few areas of the city where it is particularly high. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Blood Lead Levels of Primary School children in Kathmandu Municipality, Nepal
2015
Lead is a toxic metal which has contaminated our environment and created health problems around the globe. Children are vulnerable to lead as the intake per unit body weight is higher and even low levels can cause neurological damage. Nepal lacks data on sources of lead exposure and its health impacts; hence screening of blood lead is mandatory.
Blood Lead Level (BLL) in the Adult Population of Jodhpur: A Pilot Study
Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry, 2015
Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems. Routes of exposure to lead include contaminated air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. The possibility of lead exposure in humans is therefore of great significance from health point of view. Occupational exposure is a common known cause of lead poisoning in adults but current status of adults exposed otherwise is not known. School teachers representing wide local population were selected and asked to furnish information regarding possible lead exposure. Blood lead level (BLL) was estimated using anodic stripping voltammetry. The mean BLL was 6.89 ± 9.5 lg/dl (\3.5-[65 lg/dl) in representative adult population. Out of the total 16 % were found to be having BLL [10 lg/dl which has significantly decreased from leaded gasoline era. Those with increased BLL ([10 lg/dl) were found to have common determinants like usage of old metallic pipes for plumbing, water consumption without any purification system, usage of cosmetics and Ayurvedic/herbal medicines.
Relation between Blood Lead Levels and Childhood Anemia in India
American Journal of Epidemiology, 2005
Lead pollution is a substantial problem in developing countries such as India. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has defined an elevated blood lead level in children as 10 lg/dl, on the basis of neurologic toxicity. The US Environmental Protection Agency suggests a threshold lead level of 20-40 lg/dl for risk of childhood anemia, but there is little information relating lead levels <40 lg/dl to anemia. Therefore, the authors examined the association between lead levels as low as 10 lg/dl and anemia in Indian children under 3 years of age. Anemia was divided into categories of mild (hemoglobin level 10-10.9 g/dl), moderate (hemoglobin level 8-9.9 g/dl), and severe (hemoglobin level <8 g/dl). Lead levels <10 lg/dl were detected in 568 children (53%), whereas 413 (38%) had lead levels 10-19.9 lg/dl and 97 (9%) had levels 20 lg/dl. After adjustment for child's age, duration of breastfeeding, standard of living, parent's education, father's occupation, maternal anemia, and number of children in the immediate family, children with lead levels 10 lg/dl were 1.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.0, 1.7) times as likely to have moderate anemia as children with lead levels <10 lg/dl. Similarly, the odds ratio for severe anemia was 1.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.1, 2.6). Health agencies in India should note the association of elevated blood lead levels with anemia and make further efforts to curb lead pollution and childhood anemia.
Environmental Research, 2014
Background: The impact of lead from toxic waste sites on children in low and middle income countries has not been calculated due to a lack of exposure data. We sought to calculate this impact in Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Materials and methods: Using an Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model, we converted soil and drinking water lead levels from sites in the Blacksmith Institute's Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP) into mean blood lead levels (BLLs). We then calculated the incidence of mild mental retardation (MMR) and DALYs resulting from these BLLs. Results: The TSIP included 200 sites in 31 countries with soil (n ¼ 132) or drinking water (n ¼68) lead levels, representing 779,989 children younger than 4 years of age potentially exposed to lead. Environmental lead levels produced a range of BLLs from 1.56 to 104.71 mg/dL. These BLLs equated to an estimated loss of 5.41-8.23 IQ points, resulting in an incidence of MMR of 6.03 per 1000 population and 76.1 DALYs per 1000 population. Discussion: Soil and water lead levels at toxic waste sites predict BLLs that lower the intelligence quotient (IQ), with the resulting MMR potentially limiting individual-and country-level development. The preventable burden of disease produced by these sites highlights the need for toxic waste sites to be systematically identified, evaluated, and remediated.