Blood Lead Level in a Paediatric Population of South-Eastern Spain and Associated Risk Factors

Lucía Ruiz-Tudela, Maria Angeles Vázquez-López, Iciar García-Escobar, Jose Eugenio Cabrera-Sevilla, Sara Gómez-Bueno, Manuel Martín-Gonzalez and Francisco Javier Muñoz-Vico
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Lucía Ruiz-Tudela: Departament of Pediatric, Rafael Méndez University Hospital, 30813 Lorca, Spain
Maria Angeles Vázquez-López: Departament of Pediatric, Torrecárdenas University Hospital, 04009 Almería, Spain
Iciar García-Escobar: Departament of Pediatric, Torrecárdenas University Hospital, 04009 Almería, Spain
Jose Eugenio Cabrera-Sevilla: Departament of Pediatric, Santa Lucia University Hospital, 30202 Cartegena, Spain
Sara Gómez-Bueno: Departament of Pediatric, Torrecárdenas University Hospital, 04009 Almería, Spain
Manuel Martín-Gonzalez: Departament of Pediatric, Torrecárdenas University Hospital, 04009 Almería, Spain
Francisco Javier Muñoz-Vico: Departamento of Clinic Analysis, Torrecardenas University Hospital, 04009 Almeria, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Objective: To determine blood lead levels (BLL) in a healthy paediatric population and to analyse related sociodemographic, dietary and haematological factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was made of 1427 healthy subjects aged 1–16 years from the city of Almería (south-eastern Spain). BLL, iron parameters and erythropoietin were determined, and sociodemographic and dietary data obtained. The study paramateters was analyses in BLL toxic and BLL no toxic group by multiple logistic regression. Results: The mean BLL was 1.98 ± 1.1 µg/dL (95% CI:1.91–2.04). For 5.7% of the population, mean BLL was 2–5 µg/dL, for 2.1% it was >5 µg/dL and for 0.15% it was >10 µg/dL. Multivariate analysis showed that immigrant origin (OR:11.9; p < 0.0001), low level of parental education (OR:4.6; p < 0.02) and low dietary iron bioavailability (OR: 3.2; p < 0.02) were all risk factors for toxic BLL. Subjects with toxic and non-toxic BLL presented similar iron and erythropoiesis-related parameters, except erythrocyte protoporphyrin, which was significantly higher in the BLL >5 µg/dL group. Conclusions: BLL and the prevalence of toxic BLL in healthy subjects aged 1–16 years living in south-eastern Spain are low and similar to those found in other developed countries. The factors associated with toxic BLL are immigrant origin, low level of parental education and dietary iron deficiency. The toxicity of BLL was not related to changes in the analytical parameters studied.

Keywords: lead; lead poisoning; paediatrics population; sociodemografic factor; iron deficincy; erythropoyesis; Spain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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