End-stage renal disease and low level exposure to lead, cadmium and mercury; a population-based, prospective nested case-referent study in Sweden

Abstract

BackgroundCadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) cause toxicological renal effects, but the clinical relevance at low-level exposures in general populations is unclear. The objective of this study is to assess the risk of developing end-stage renal disease in relation to Cd, Pb, and Hg exposure.MethodsA total of 118 cases who later in life developed end-stage renal disease, and 378 matched (sex, age, area, and time of blood sampling) referents were identified among participants in two population-based prospective cohorts (130,000 individuals). Cd, Pb, and Hg concentrations were determined in prospectively collected samples.ResultsErythrocyte lead was associated with an increased risk of developing end-stage renal disease (mean in cases 76 μg/L; odds ratio (OR) 1.54 for an interquartile range increase, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-2.00), while erythrocyte mercury was negatively associated (2.4 μg/L; OR 0.75 for an interquartile range increase, CI 0.56-0.99). For erythrocyte cadmium, the OR of developing end-stage renal disease was 1.15 for an interquartile range increase (CI 0.99-1.34; mean Ery-Cd among cases: 1.3 μg/L). The associations for erythrocyte lead and erythrocyte mercury, but not for erythrocyte cadmium, remained after adjusting for the other two metals, smoking, BMI, diabetes, and hypertension. Gender-specific analyses showed that men carried almost all of the erythrocyte lead and erythrocyte cadmium associated risks.ConclusionsErythrocyte lead is associated with end-stage renal disease but further studies are needed to evaluate causality. Gender-specific analyses suggest potential differences in susceptibility or in exposure biomarker reliability.

Correlation of cadmium and aluminum in blood samples of kidney disorder patients with drinking water and tobacco smoking: related health risk

“…The high intake of Cd can cause health problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle cramps, salvation, sensory disturbances, liver injury convulsions, shocks and renal failure. Long-term Cd exposure can cause certain fatal effects such as kidney, liver, bone and blood damages (Satarug et al 2011;Sommar et al 2013).…”

Response of transposable elements to environmental stressors

“…Battery manufacturing, tobacco usage, and consumption of certain foods are the main source of exposure to cadmium. The exposure has been associated with adverse health effects, including bone and kidney damage and developmental impairment [214-216]. Cadmium has been also classified as human carcinogen [217].…”

Mercury Pollution and Bioremediation—A Case Study on Biosorption by a Mercury-Resistant Marine Bacterium

“…It is the only metal to be present in liquid form at normal temperature and pressure. This metal is known to exert greater toxicity at trace concentrations by affecting the nervous system, brain (Azevedo et al, 2012), heart (Frustaci et al, 1999), kidneys (Sommar et al, 2013), lungs, and immune system. Mercury is a neurotoxin and it is clear that adults, children, and developing fetuses are at risk from ingestion of mercury (Zahir et al, 2005).…”