Concentrations of Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Manganese, and Aluminum in Blood of Romanian Children Suspected of Having Autism Spectrum Disorder

Manouchehr Hessabi, Mohammad H. Rahbar, Iuliana Dobrescu, MacKinsey A. Bach, Liana Kobylinska, Jan Bressler, Megan L. Grove, Katherine A. Loveland, Ilinca Mihailescu, Maria Cristina Nedelcu, Mihaela Georgeta Moisescu, Bogdan Mircea Matei, Christien Oktaviani Matei and Florina Rad
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Manouchehr Hessabi: Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) core, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Mohammad H. Rahbar: Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) core, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Iuliana Dobrescu: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Psychiatry Clinical Hospital Alexandru Obregia, Bucharest, sector 4, 041914, Romania
MacKinsey A. Bach: Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) core, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Liana Kobylinska: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Psychiatry Clinical Hospital Alexandru Obregia, Bucharest, sector 4, 041914, Romania
Jan Bressler: Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Megan L. Grove: Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Katherine A. Loveland: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA
Ilinca Mihailescu: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Psychiatry Clinical Hospital Alexandru Obregia, Bucharest, sector 4, 041914, Romania
Maria Cristina Nedelcu: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Psychiatry Clinical Hospital Alexandru Obregia, Bucharest, sector 4, 041914, Romania
Mihaela Georgeta Moisescu: Department of Biophysics and Cellular Biotechnology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Bucharest, sector 5, 050747, Romania
Bogdan Mircea Matei: Department of Biophysics and Cellular Biotechnology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Bucharest, sector 5, 050747, Romania
Christien Oktaviani Matei: Department of Biophysics and Cellular Biotechnology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Bucharest, sector 5, 050747, Romania
Florina Rad: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Carol Davila, Psychiatry Clinical Hospital Alexandru Obregia, Bucharest, sector 4, 041914, Romania

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-20

Abstract: Environmental exposure to lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al) has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We conducted a pilot study during May 2015–May 2107 to estimate blood concentrations of six metals (Pb, Hg, As, Cd, Mn, and Al) and identify their associated factors for children with ASD or suspected of having ASD in Romania. Sixty children, age 2–8 years, were administered versions of ADOS or ADI-R translated from English to Romanian. After assessment, 2–3 mL of blood was obtained and analyzed for the concentrations of the six metals. The mean age of children was 51.9 months and about 90% were male. More than half (65%) of the children were born in Bucharest. Over 90% of concentrations of As and Cd were below limits of detection. Geometric mean concentrations of Pb, Mn, Al, and Hg were 1.14 μg/dL, 10.84 μg/L, 14.44 μg/L, and 0.35 μg/L, respectively. Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that children who were female, had less educated parents, exhibited pica, and ate cold breakfast (e.g., cereal), watermelon, and lamb had significantly higher concentrations of Pb compared to their respective referent categories (all p < 0.05 except for eating lamb, which was marginally significant, p = 0.053). Although this is the first study that provides data on concentrations of the six metals for Romanian children with ASD, the findings from this study could be useful for designing future epidemiologic studies for investigating the role of these six metals in ASD in Romanian children.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; Romania; lead; mercury; arsenic; cadmium; manganese; aluminum (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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