Associations between Thyroid Hormones and Blood and Urine Lead

Abstract

Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2007-2012 were used to evaluate associations between urine and blood lead and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Free and Total Triiodothyronine (FT3, TT3), and Free and Total Thyroxine (FT4, TT4). Among iodine deficient as well as iodine replete males, blood lead was found to be positively associated (p <= 0.04) with TSH and urine lead was observed to have a negative association (p <= 0.01) with FT4. Among iodine deficient females, a negative association between blood lead and TT3 (p < 0.01) and a negative association between urine lead and FT3 (p = 0.01) was observed.