Faculty Collaboration Database

Occupational determinants of bone and blood lead levels in middle aged and elderly men from the general community: the Normative Aging Study. Am J Ind Med 2002 Jul;42(1):38-49

Date

07/12/2002

Pubmed ID

12111689

DOI

10.1002/ajim.10078

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0036306531 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   15 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Few studies of the general population have investigated risk factors for elevated levels of lead in bone in relation to occupation.

METHODS: Six hundred and fifty six community-exposed men had their bone and blood lead levels measured (by K-X-ray fluorescence). Based on their occupational histories, participants were categorized into those who worked in white-collar (WC) occupations (59%) or blue-collar (BC) occupations (41%). No subjects had worked in a primary lead industry (e.g., smelting).

RESULTS: In multivariate regression models that adjusted for age, race, education, smoking, alcohol ingestion and retirement status, BC subjects had tibia and patella lead concentrations that were 5.5 (95% CI: 3.2-7.8) and 6.5 (95% CI: 3.1-9.8) microg/g higher than WC subjects, respectively. Interaction terms pairing race with occupational status indicated that in non-white BC subjects, tibia and patella lead levels were higher still by 11.3 (95% CI: -2 to 24.5) and 20.5 (95% CI: 1.2-39.8) microg/g, respectively. Blood lead levels were low for these mostly retired men (mean [SD]: 6.1 [3.9] microg/g) and in multivariate regression models, occupational status was not a significant predictor of blood lead levels; however, an interaction between race and occupational status was also suggested, with non-white BC subjects having blood lead levels that were predicted to be higher by 4.5 (95% CI: 0.3-8.7) microg/dl.

CONCLUSIONS: Bone lead levels are higher in the men who worked in BC occupations even if they have not worked in primary lead-exposed occupations. This effect is markedly stronger in non-white BC workers and suggests an interaction between occupational exposures and race/ethnicity with respect to cumulative exposure to lead. A similar interaction was suggested by models of blood lead levels.

Author List

Elmarsafawy SF, Tsaih SW, Korrick S, Dickey JH, Sparrow D, Aro A, Hu H

Author

Shirng-Wern Tsaih Research Scientist II in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Education
Humans
Lead
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Occupational Exposure
Occupations
Patella
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Smoking
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
Tibia