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Ronconi-Krüger N, Müller YMR, Nazari EM. Exploring developmental MeHg impact on extraembryonic and cardiac vessels and its effect on cardiomyocyte contractility. J Appl Toxicol 2024. [PMID: 38978343 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) during embryonic development is a relevant issue that remains unclear and deserves investigation. In this sense, there is evidence that links the intake of contaminated food with cardiovascular pathologies in human adults and children. Thus, this study aimed to verify the impact of MeHg on the structure and integrity of extraembryonic and cardiac blood vessels and the contractile function of cardiomyocytes, also evaluating embryonic weight and the cardiosomatic index (CSI). Thus, chicken embryos, used as an experimental model, were exposed to a single dose of 0.1 μg MeHg/50 μl saline at E1.5 and analyzed at E10. After exposure, an increase in the number of extraembryonic blood vessels and the veins of the cardiac tissue was observed. These increases were accompanied by a reduction in the content of VEGF and VCAM proteins related to vessel growth and adhesiveness. Together, these results were related to reduced nitrite (NOx) levels. Furthermore, MeHg reduces the number of sarcomeres and increases the content of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a protein that regulates contraction. In general, exposure to MeHg affected the integrity of extraembryonic and cardiac vessels and the contractile function of cardiomyocytes, which had a systemic impact evidenced by the reduction in embryonic weight gain and CSI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathália Ronconi-Krüger
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Yara Maria Rauh Müller
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Evelise Maria Nazari
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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2
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Costet N, Doyen M, Rouget F, Michineau L, Monfort C, Cirtiu CM, Kadhel P, Multigner L, Pladys P, Cordier S. Early exposure to mercury and cardiovascular function of seven-year old children in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 246:117955. [PMID: 38159660 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cardiotoxicity of prenatal exposure to mercury has been suggested in populations having regular contaminated seafood intake, though replications in the literature are inconsistent. METHODS The Timoun Mother-Child Cohort Study was set up in Guadeloupe, an island in the Caribbean Sea where seafood consumption is regular. At seven years of age, 592 children underwent a medical examination, including cardiac function assessment. Blood pressure (BP) was taken using an automated blood pressure monitor, heart rate variability (HRV, 9 parameters) and electrocardiogram (ECG) characteristics (QT, T-wave parameters) were measured using Holter cardiac monitoring during the examination. Total mercury concentrations were measured in cord blood at birth (median = 6.6 μg/L, N = 399) and in the children's blood at age 7 (median = 1.7 μg/L, N = 310). Adjusted linear and non-linear modelling was used to study the association of each cardiac parameter with prenatal and childhood exposures. Sensitivity analyses included co-exposures to lead and cadmium, adjustment for maternal seafood consumption, selenium and polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFAs), and for sporting activity. RESULTS Higher prenatal mercury was associated with higher systolic BP at 7 years of age (βlog2 = 1.02; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.10, 1.19). In boys, intermediate prenatal exposure was associated with reduced overall HRV and parasympathetic activity, and longer QT was observed with increasing prenatal mercury (βlog2 = 4.02; CI = 0.48, 7.56). In girls, HRV tended to increase linearly with prenatal exposure, and no association was observed with QT-wave related parameters. Mercury exposure at 7 years was associated with decreased BP in girls (βlog2 = -1.13; CI = -2.22, -0.004 for diastolic BP). In boys, the low/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio increased for intermediate levels of exposure. CONCLUSION Our study suggests sex-specific and non-monotonic modifications in some cardiac health parameters following prenatal exposure to mercury in pre-pubertal children from an insular fish-consuming population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Costet
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Matthieu Doyen
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, Rennes, France; IADI, U1254, Inserm and Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France.
| | - Florence Rouget
- Univ Rennes, CHU de Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Leah Michineau
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Pointe à Pitre, France.
| | - Christine Monfort
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Ciprian-Mihai Cirtiu
- Centre de Toxicologie Du Québec, Institut National de Santé Publique Du Québec, Québec, Québec, Canada.
| | - Philippe Kadhel
- CHU de Guadeloupe, Univ Antilles, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, Pointe à Pitre, France.
| | - Luc Multigner
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Patrick Pladys
- Univ Rennes, CHU de Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, Rennes, France.
| | - Sylvaine Cordier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
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Little M, Achouba A, Ayotte P, Lemire M. Emerging evidence on selenoneine and its public health relevance in coastal populations: a review and case study of dietary Se among Inuit populations in the Canadian Arctic. Nutr Res Rev 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38327212 DOI: 10.1017/s0954422424000039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Selenium is an essential mineral yet both deficiency and excess are associated with adverse health effects. Dietary intake of Se in humans varies greatly between populations due to food availability, dietary preferences, and local geological and ecosystem processes impacting Se accumulation into agricultural products and animal populations. We argue there is a need to evaluate and reconsider the relevance of public health recommendations on Se given recent evidence, including the metabolic pathways and health implications of Se. This argument is particularly pertinent for Inuit populations in Northern Canada, who often exceed dietary tolerable upper intake levels and exhibit very high whole blood Se concentrations due to their dependence on local country foods high in the newly discovered Se compound, selenoneine. Since selenoneine appears to have lower toxicity compared to other Se species and does not contribute to the circulating pools of Se for selenoprotein synthesis, we argue that total dietary Se or total Se in plasma or whole blood are poor indicators of Se adequacy for human health in these populations. Overall, this review provides an overview of the current evidence of Se speciation, deficiency, adequacy, and excess and implications for human health and dietary recommendations, with particular reference to Inuit populations in the Canadian Arctic and other coastal populations consuming marine foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Little
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BCV8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Adel Achouba
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en Santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, 1050, chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, G1S 4L8, Canada
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en Santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, 1050, chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, G1S 4L8, Canada
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Pavillon Ferdinand-Vandry, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre de Toxicologie du Québec, Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), 945 Avenue Wolfe, Quebec, G1V 5B3, Canada
| | - Mélanie Lemire
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en Santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, 1050, chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, G1S 4L8, Canada
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Pavillon Ferdinand-Vandry, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
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Lundin KK, Qadeer YK, Wang Z, Virani S, Leischik R, Lavie CJ, Strauss M, Krittanawong C. Contaminant Metals and Cardiovascular Health. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2023; 10:450. [PMID: 37998508 PMCID: PMC10671885 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd10110450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing body of research has begun to link exposure to environmental contaminants, such as heavy metals, with a variety of negative health outcomes. In this paper, we sought to review the current research describing the impact of certain common contaminant metals on cardiovascular (CV) health. We reviewed ten metals: lead, barium, nickel, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, zinc, and copper. After a literature review, we briefly summarized the routes of environmental exposure, pathophysiological mechanisms, CV health impacts, and exposure prevention and/or mitigation strategies for each metal. The resulting article discloses a broad spectrum of pathological significance, from relatively benign substances with little to no described effects on CV health, such as chromium and selenium, to substances with a wide-ranging and relatively severe spectrum of CV pathologies, such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead. It is our hope that this article will provide clinicians with a practical overview of the impact of these common environmental contaminants on CV health as well as highlight areas that require further investigation to better understand how these metals impact the incidence and progression of CV diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Kristian Lundin
- Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.K.L.); (Y.K.Q.)
| | - Yusuf Kamran Qadeer
- Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.K.L.); (Y.K.Q.)
| | - Zhen Wang
- Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Division of Health Care Policy and Research, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Salim Virani
- Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (K.K.L.); (Y.K.Q.)
- The Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
- Section of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Roman Leischik
- Department of Cardiology, Sector Preventive Medicine, Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, University Witten/Herdecke, 58095 Hagen, Germany
| | - Carl J. Lavie
- John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA
| | - Markus Strauss
- Department of Cardiology, Sector Preventive Medicine, Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, University Witten/Herdecke, 58095 Hagen, Germany
- Department of Cardiology I- Coronary and Periphal Vascular Disease, Heart Failure Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Cardiol, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Chayakrit Krittanawong
- Cardiology Division, NYU Langone Health and NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Perinatal Metal and Metalloid Exposures and Offspring Cardiovascular Health Risk. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:714-734. [PMID: 35980568 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00377-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Toxic metal exposures have been associated with cardiovascular disease in adults and growing evidence suggests metal exposures also adversely affect cardiovascular phenotypes in childhood and adolescence. However, to our knowledge, the influence of perinatal metals exposure, particularly metal mixtures, in relation to cardiovascular-related outcomes have not been comprehensively reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS We summarized 17 contemporary studies (2017-2021) that investigated the impact of perinatal metal exposures on measures of cardiovascular health in children. Accumulating evidence supports a potential adverse impact of perinatal Pb exposure on BP in children. Fewer recent studies have focused on perinatal As, Hg, and Cd; thus, the cardiovascular impacts of these metals are less clear. Studies of metal mixtures demonstrate that interactions between metals may be complex and have identified numerous understudied elements and essential metals, including Mo, Co, Ni, Se, Zn, and Mn, which may influence cardiovascular risk. A key question that remains is whether perinatal metals exposure influences cardiovascular health into adulthood. Comparisons across studies remain challenging due to several factors, including differences in the timing of exposure/outcome assessments and exposure biomarkers, as well as variability in exposure levels and mixture compositions across populations. Future studies longitudinally investigating trajectories of cardiovascular outcomes could help determine the influence of perinatal metals exposure on long-term effects of clinical relevance in later life and whether interventions, which reduce metals exposures during this key developmental window, could alter disease development.
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Chan PHY, Kwok KM, Chan MHM, Li AM, Chan IHS, Fok TF, Lam HS. Prenatal methylmercury exposure is associated with decrease heart rate variability in children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 200:111744. [PMID: 34310966 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several epidemiological studies have suggested mercury (Hg) might be associated with cardiotoxicity, the impact of Hg exposure on cardiac autonomic activity and blood pressure in children has not been investigated at Hg exposure levels equivalent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reference dose. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between low dose prenatal and recent methylmercury (MeHg) exposures and cardiac autonomic function and blood pressure with adjustment for factors such as fish consumption among children from a high fish consumption coastal city. METHODS Children aged 7-8 years were recruited from the birth cohort of our previous study. Heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate (RHR) and blood pressure were measured as surrogate markers of cardiac autonomic function. Cord blood and current whole blood Hg concentration were used as biomarkers of prenatal and recent MeHg exposure, respectively. Recent fish consumption information was estimated with a food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS Among 604 children, median cord blood and whole blood Hg concentrations were 45.9 nmol/L (IQR: 32.8-65.03 nmol/L) and 13.57 nmol/L (IQR: 9.29-19.72 nmol/L), respectively. Our results demonstrated that prenatal MeHg exposure was associated with decreased HRV (i.e. low CVRR, SDRR, and RMSSD), reflecting reduced parasympathetic activity (i.e. low CCVHF and HF), and a sympathovagal balance shift toward sympathetic predominance (i.e. high %LF and LF/HF ratio). Adjustment of recent fish consumption further increased the significance and magnitude of the adverse associations of MeHg. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that prenatal MeHg exposure is associated with decreased parasympathetic modulation of cardiac autonomic function in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peggy Hiu Ying Chan
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Ka Ming Kwok
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Michael Ho Ming Chan
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Albert Martin Li
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Iris Hiu Shuen Chan
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Tai Fai Fok
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Hugh Simon Lam
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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Desai G, Niu Z, Luo W, Frndak S, Shaver AL, Kordas K. Low-level exposure to lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium, and blood pressure among 8-17-year-old participants of the 2009-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111086. [PMID: 33781774 PMCID: PMC8211235 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation of systolic, diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and pulse pressure (PP) in children may predict elevated blood pressure (BP) in adulthood. Toxicant exposure is widely studied as a risk factor for high BP in adults, but not in children. We assessed the joint associations between lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) exposure and SBP, DBP, and PP among 8-17 year-old participants (n = 1642) of the 2009-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). METHODS Participants with at least two BP measures were included. Urinary As and Cd were adjusted for urinary creatinine concentrations. Blood Pb, Hg, and urinary As, Cd were natural log-transformed. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) analyses were conducted to assess the associations between the toxicant mixture and BP measures. Multivariable regression models assessed the associations between individual toxicants, and the four toxicants simultaneously with each of the outcomes. Interactions with sodium intake were tested. RESULTS Exposure to all toxicants was low, with median (5%, 95%) level: Pb, 0.57 (0.26, 1.60) μg/dL; Hg, 0.37 (0.19, 2.12) μg/L; As, 5.61 (1.37, 33.2) μg/g creatinine, Cd, 0.06 (0.03, 0.23) μg/g creatinine. Toxicant mixture showed a statistically significant, inverse association with DBP, but not other BP measures. Linear regressions revealed no association between toxicants, individually or together, and BP measures. No evidence of interaction of sodium intake with any of the toxicants was observed. CONCLUSIONS In a nationally representative sample of 8-17 year-olds, we found suggestive inverse association of the mixture of low-level Pb, Hg, As, and Cd, with DBP. Longitudinal studies with multiple toxicants are needed to understand the interactive effects of toxicants on children's BP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gauri Desai
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA.
| | - Zhongzheng Niu
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA
| | - Wei Luo
- Department of Sociology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA
| | - Seth Frndak
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA
| | - Amy L Shaver
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA
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Liu J, Portnoy J, Um P, Cui N, Rudo-Hutt A, Yan C, Raine A, Chen A. Blood lead and mercury levels are associated with low resting heart rate in community adolescent boys. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 233:113685. [PMID: 33556713 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
While the neurotoxic effects of heavy metals at even low levels have been well-studied, few studies have examined the cardiovascular effects of heavy metals on resting heart rate and these have focused on adult populations. The present study aimed to examine the association between low-level environmental lead and mercury exposure and resting heart rate in community adolescents. As part of the China Jintan Cohort Study, 532 adolescents aged 12 years (SD = 0.6) were tested for blood levels of lead (BLL) and mercury (BML) and resting heart rate (RHR). Generalized linear models were conducted to test the relationship between BLL and BML and RHR, controlling for children's sex, age, and socioeconomic status. Analyses were clustered at the preschool level when the children were recruited to adjust for standard error. The mean (SD) BLL and BML were 3.14 (SD = 1.19) μg/dL and 1.26 (SD = 0.68) μg/L at age 12 years, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, we found a significant interaction between BML and BLL in predicting RHR in boys (B = -1.27, SE = 0.49, p < 0.01, n = 289). We created BLL and BML groups in boys based on median cut-offs. Boys in the High BLL/High BML group had significantly lower RHR (mean = 84.22 beats per minute [bpm], SD = 8.77, n = 61) than boys in the Low BLL/Low BML group (mean = 89.03 bpm, SD = 10.75, n = 69; p < 0.05). BML and BLL did not interact to predict RHR in girls (B = -0.18, SE = 0.88, p > 0.05, n = 242). Combined high BLL and BML were associated with low RHR in community adolescent boys. Low RHR is an indication of chronic under-arousal and has been implicated in psychopathology, particularly for externalizing behavior. Our findings may stimulate further communication and research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghong Liu
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Jill Portnoy
- University of Massachusetts Lowell, School of Criminology and Justice Studies, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Phoebe Um
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Naixue Cui
- Shandong University, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong Province, China
| | - Anna Rudo-Hutt
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chonghai Yan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Adrian Raine
- University of Pennsylvania, Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aimin Chen
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Farzan SF, Howe CG, Chen Y, Gilbert-Diamond D, Korrick S, Jackson BP, Weinstein AR, Karagas MR. Prenatal and postnatal mercury exposure and blood pressure in childhood. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106201. [PMID: 33129000 PMCID: PMC7775884 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Elevated blood pressure in childhood is an important risk factor for hypertension in adulthood. Environmental exposures have been associated with elevated blood pressure over the life course and exposure to mercury (Hg) has been linked to cardiovascular effects in adults. As subclinical vascular changes begin early in life, Hg may play a role in altered blood pressure in children. However, the evidence linking early life Hg exposure to altered blood pressure in childhood has been largely inconsistent. In the ongoing New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, we investigated prenatal and childhood Hg exposure at multiple time points and associations with blood pressure measurements in 395 young children (mean age 5.5 years, SD 0.4). Hg exposure was measured in children's toenail clippings at age 3 and in urine at age 5-6 years, as well as in maternal toenail samples collected at ∼28 weeks gestation and 6 weeks postpartum, the latter two samples reflecting early prenatal and mid-gestation exposures, respectively. Five measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were averaged for each child using a standardized technique. In covariate-adjusted linear regression analyses, we observed that a 0.1 μg/g increase in child toenail Hg at age 3 or a 0.1 μg/L urine Hg at age 5-6 were individually associated with greater DBP (toenail β: 0.53 mmHg; 95% CI: -0.02, 1.07; urine β: 0.48 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.86) and MAP (toenail β: 0.67 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.002, 1.33; urine β: 0.55 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.10, 1.01). Neither early prenatal nor mid-gestation Hg exposure, as measured by maternal toenails, were related to any changes to child BP. Simultaneous inclusion of both child urine Hg and child toenail Hg in models suggested a potentially stronger relationship of urine Hg at age 5-6 with DBP and MAP, as compared to toenail Hg at age 3. Our findings suggest that Hg exposure during childhood is associated with alterations in BP. Childhood may be an important window of opportunity to reduce the impacts of Hg exposure on children's blood pressure, and in turn, long-term health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohreh F Farzan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Caitlin G Howe
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Diane Gilbert-Diamond
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA; Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Susan Korrick
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Adam R Weinstein
- Department of Medical Education and Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA; Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
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10
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Zareba W, Thurston SW, Zareba G, Couderc JP, Evans K, Xia J, Watson GE, Strain JJ, McSorley E, Yeates A, Mulhern M, Shamlaye CF, Bovet P, van Wijngaarden E, Davidson PW, Myers GJ. Prenatal and recent methylmercury exposure and heart rate variability in young adults: the Seychelles Child Development Study. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2019; 74:106810. [PMID: 31128243 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2019.106810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic evidence of an adverse association between exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) from consuming fish and heart rate variability (HRV) is inconclusive. We aimed to evaluate MeHg exposure in relation to HRV parameters in a large cohort of young adults from a high fish consuming population in the Republic of Seychelles. Main Cohort participants in the Seychelles Child Development Study were evaluated at a mean age of 19 years. Prenatal MeHg exposure was determined in maternal hair growing during pregnancy and recent exposure in participant's hair taken at the evaluation. The evaluation consisted of short (~2 h) and long (overnight) Holter recordings obtained in 514 and 203 participants, respectively. Multivariable analyses examined the association of prenatal and recent MeHg exposure (in separate models) with time-domain and frequency-domain HRV parameters in different physiologic circumstances: supine position, standing position, mental stress when undergoing a mathematics test, sleep, and long recording. Prenatal MeHg exposure was not associated with any of the 23 HRV parameters studied after adjustment for multiplicity. The recent MeHg showed a trend toward significance only for few variables in the primary model. However, after additional adjustment for activity levels, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and multiplicity none were significant after a Bonferroni adjustment. In conclusion, prenatal and recent MeHg exposure had no consistent pattern of associations to support the hypothesis that they are adversely associated with heart rate variability in this study population that consumes large amounts of fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Zareba
- Heart Research, Cardiology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America.
| | - Sally W Thurston
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology; University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Grazyna Zareba
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Jean Philippe Couderc
- Heart Research, Cardiology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Katie Evans
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology; University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Jean Xia
- Heart Research, Cardiology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Gene E Watson
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - J J Strain
- University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Emeir McSorley
- University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Alison Yeates
- University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Mulhern
- University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | | | - Pascal Bovet
- University Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Edwin van Wijngaarden
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Philip W Davidson
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Gary J Myers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
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11
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Gallego-Viñas G, Ballester F, Llop S. Chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure in children and adolescents: a systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:2238-2252. [PMID: 30519915 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3796-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to systematically review the scientific literature on the possible relation of chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure among children and adolescents. We searched for observational studies in 6 electronic databases and grey literature for English, French or Spanish language studies published up to 30th November 2017. We performed a quality assessment of primary studies. We identified 8 articles involving 5 cohorts, 1 cross-sectional study and 1 case-control study. The participants had mean ages of between 3 and 17 years. Mercury was analysed in different matrices and periods of exposure. Four articles evaluated prenatal exposure, 2 evaluated both prenatal and postnatal exposures and 2 postnatal exposure. Blood pressure was measured according to different protocols. The association between mercury and blood pressure was adjusted by different covariates in each study. Four articles found a positive significant association between chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure in children or adolescents. Among these 4 articles, three of them evaluated prenatal exposure. There are still few studies assessing chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure in children and adolescents with inconsistency in results. Designs are very heterogeneous, which hampers their comparability. Evidence of this association is scarce and further research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gema Gallego-Viñas
- Conselleria de Sanitat Universal i Salut Pública, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ferran Ballester
- FISABIO-UJI-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit in Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Nursing Department, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sabrina Llop
- FISABIO-UJI-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit in Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain.
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Avda. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain.
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12
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Assessment of Cardiac Autonomic Function in Relation to Methylmercury Neurotoxicity. TOXICS 2018; 6:toxics6030038. [PMID: 30036985 PMCID: PMC6161203 DOI: 10.3390/toxics6030038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
After the European Food Safety Authority reviewed reports of methylmercury and heart rate variability (HRV) in 2012, the panel concluded that, although some studies of cardiac autonomy suggested an autonomic effect of methylmercury, the results were inconsistent among studies and the implications for health were unclear. In this study, we reconsider this association by adding a perspective on the physiological context. Cardiovascular rhythmicity is usually studied within different frequency domains of HRV. Three spectral components are usually detected; in humans these are centered at <0.04 Hz, 0.15 Hz (LF), and 0.3 Hz (HF). LF and HF (sympathetic and parasympathetic activities, respectively) are evaluated in terms of frequency and power. By searching PubMed, we identified 13 studies examining the effect of methylmercury exposure on HRV in human populations in the Faroe Islands, the Seychelles and other countries. Considering both reduced HRV and sympathodominant state (i.e., lower HF, higher LF, or higher LF/HF ratio) as autonomic abnormality, eight of them showed the significant association with methylmercury exposure. Five studies failed to demonstrate any significant association. In conclusion, these data suggest that increased methylmercury exposure was consistently associated with autonomic abnormality, though the influence of methylmercury on HRV (e.g., LF) might differ for prenatal and postnatal exposures. The results with HRV should be included in the risk characterization of methylmercury. The HRV parameters calculated by frequency domain analysis appear to be more sensitive to methylmercury exposure than those by time domain analysis.
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13
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Miller C, Karimi R, Silbernagel S, Kostrubiak D, Schiavone F, Zhang Q, Yang J, Rashba E, Meliker JR. Mercury, omega-3 fatty acids, and seafood intake are not associated with heart rate variability or QT interval. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 2018; 73:251-257. [PMID: 28379067 DOI: 10.1080/19338244.2017.1315360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations differ across seafood types. Our aim was to investigate the association of Hg, EPA, and DHA, as well as avid consumption of diverse seafood types, with cardiovascular variables heart rate variability (HRV) and QT interval duration (QTc) in a contemporary population. We measured HRV and QTc by Holter monitor, EPA and DHA in plasma, total Hg in whole blood, and possible confounders in 94 avid seafood consumers from Long Island, NY. Participants had mean Hg of 8.4 mcg/L, mean EPA of 1.2%, and mean DHA of 3.7% of total fatty acids. Adjusted for possible confounders, EPA+DHA, Hg, and total seafood consumption were not associated with HRV or QTc. Associations with consumption of specific seafood types were suggested (eg, tuna steak with QTc and anchovies with HRV) but require verification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Miller
- a Department of Medicine , Stony Brook University School of Medicine , Stony Brook , New York , USA
| | - Roxanne Karimi
- b School of Marine and Atmospheric Science , Stony Brook University , Stony Brook , New York , USA
| | - Susan Silbernagel
- b School of Marine and Atmospheric Science , Stony Brook University , Stony Brook , New York , USA
| | | | - Frederick Schiavone
- d Department of Emergency Medicine , Stony Brook University School of Medicine , Stony Brook , New York , USA
| | - Qiao Zhang
- e US Food and Drug Administration , Center for Veterinary Medicine , Silver Spring , Maryland , USA
| | - Jie Yang
- f Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine , Stony Brook University School of Medicine , Stony Brook , New York , USA
| | - Eric Rashba
- g Division of Cardiology, Electrophysiology Section, Department of Medicine , Stony Brook University School of Medicine , Stony Brook , New York , USA
| | - Jaymie R Meliker
- f Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine , Stony Brook University School of Medicine , Stony Brook , New York , USA
- h Stony Brook University Program in Public Health , Stony Brook , New York , USA
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14
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Hu XF, Singh K, Chan HM. Mercury Exposure, Blood Pressure, and Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Dose-response Meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2018; 126:076002. [PMID: 30073953 PMCID: PMC6108832 DOI: 10.1289/ehp2863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Body burden of mercury has been linked to hypertension in populations exposed to high mercury levels. OBJECTIVES We summarized, extracted, and pooled the results of published studies that investigated mercury biomarkers and hypertension or blood pressure (BP) measurements to examine this potential relationship. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, and TOXLINE and selected studies according to a priori defined inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort and case-control studies and the Quality Assessment Tool for cross-sectional studies. Study estimates were pooled using inverse-variance weighted random-effects models. Dose-response meta-analysis was performed with studies reporting hypertension and systolic BP for at least three mercury categories. RESULTS A total of 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratio (OR) for hypertension, comparing the highest and lowest mercury exposure categories, was 1.35 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99, 1.83] for populations with hair mercury ≥2 μg/g in comparison with the OR of 1.12 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.52) for populations with hair mercury <2 μg/g. Positive associations were also observed for highest versus lowest mercury exposure categories on systolic and diastolic BP. Heterogeneity was observed for mercury species and exposure groups across different studies. Associations estimated using different mercury biomarkers generally agree with each other in the same study. A nonlinear dose-response relationship with an inflection point at 3 μg/g was identified, for both hypertension and systolic BP. CONCLUSIONS A significant positive association between mercury and hypertension and between mercury and BP was identified. The exposure dose is an important factor in determining the toxic effects of mercury on hypertension. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2863.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Feng Hu
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa (XFH, KS, HMC), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kavita Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa (XFH, KS, HMC), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa (XFH, KS, HMC), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Associations of the serum long-chain n-3 PUFA and hair mercury with resting heart rate, peak heart rate during exercise and heart rate recovery after exercise in middle-aged men. Br J Nutr 2017; 119:66-73. [PMID: 29208059 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114517003191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Long-chain n-3 PUFA from fish have been associated with lower risk of CVD. Fish may also contain methylmercury, which may attenuate the inverse associations of the long-chain n-3 PUFA. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations are not fully known. We evaluated the associations of the serum long-chain n-3 PUFA (EPA, DPA and DHA) and hair Hg with resting heart rate (HR), peak HR during cycle ergometer exercise and HR recovery after exercise. A total of 1008 men from the population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, aged 42-60 years and free of CVD, were studied. After multivariate-adjustments in ANCOVA, higher serum total long-chain n-3 PUFA concentration was associated with lower resting HR (extreme-quartile difference 2·2 beats/min; 95 % CI 0·2, 4·1, P trend across quartiles=0·02), but not with peak HR or HR recovery. Associations were generally similar when EPA, DPA and DHA were evaluated individually, except for DPA, which was also associated with better HR recovery after exercise (extreme-quartile difference 2·1 beats/min; 95 % CI 0·1, 4·2, P trend=0·06). Higher hair Hg content had a trend towards lower peak HR after adjusting for the long-chain n-3 PUFA (P trend=0·05), but it only slightly attenuated the associations of the serum long-chain n-3 PUFA with HR. These findings suggest that higher serum long-chain n-3 PUFA concentrations are associated with lower resting HR in middle-aged men from Eastern Finland, which may partially explain the potential cardioprotective effect of fish intake.
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Gump BB, Dykas MJ, MacKenzie JA, Dumas AK, Hruska B, Ewart CK, Parsons PJ, Palmer CD, Bendinskas K. Background lead and mercury exposures: Psychological and behavioral problems in children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 158:576-582. [PMID: 28715786 PMCID: PMC5562507 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The potential harm from exposure to nonessential metals, particularly mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb), has been the focus of research for years. Initial interest focused on relatively high exposures; however, recent evidence suggests that even background exposures might have adverse consequences for child development. Identifying the extent of these consequences is now a priority. METHODS We assessed blood Pb and Hg levels in a biracial sample of 9-11 year-old children (N = 203). Neurodevelopment and psychological functioning assessments included hostility, disruptive behaviors, emotion regulation, and autism spectrum disorder behaviors. Parasympathetic (vagal) responses to acute stress were indexed by heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and during stress. RESULTS With increasing Pb levels, children exhibit higher levels of hostile distrust and oppositional defiant behaviors, were more dissatisfied and uncertain about their emotions, and had difficulties with communication. These significant associations were found within a range of blood Pb levels from 0.19 to 3.25μg/dL, well below the "reference value" for children of >5μg/dL. Vagal reactivity interacted with Hg such that increasing Hg was associated with increasing autism spectrum behaviors for those children with sustained vagal tone during acute stress. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to demonstrate an association between very low-level Pb exposure and fundamental psychological mechanisms that might explain prior associations with more complex outcomes such as delinquency. Analyses of vagal reactivity yielded entirely novel associations suggesting that Hg may increase autism spectrum behaviors in children with sustained vagal tone during acute stress. The novelty of these later findings requires additional research for confirmation and the cross-sectional nature of the data caution against assumptions of causality without further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooks B Gump
- Department of Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition, Syracuse University, United States.
| | - Matthew J Dykas
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York College at Oswego, United States
| | - James A MacKenzie
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York College at Oswego, United States
| | - Amy K Dumas
- Department of Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition, Syracuse University, United States
| | - Bryce Hruska
- Department of Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition, Syracuse University, United States
| | - Craig K Ewart
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, United States
| | - Patrick J Parsons
- Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, United States; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, United States
| | - Christopher D Palmer
- Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, United States; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, United States
| | - Kestutis Bendinskas
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College at Oswego, United States
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Wells EM, Herbstman JB, Lin YH, Hibbeln JR, Halden RU, Witter FR, Goldman LR. Methyl mercury, but not inorganic mercury, associated with higher blood pressure during pregnancy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 154:247-252. [PMID: 28110211 PMCID: PMC5328834 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Prior studies addressing associations between mercury and blood pressure have produced inconsistent findings; some of this may result from measuring total instead of speciated mercury. This cross-sectional study of 263 pregnant women assessed total mercury, speciated mercury, selenium, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in umbilical cord blood and blood pressure during labor and delivery. Models with a) total mercury or b) methyl and inorganic mercury were evaluated. Regression models adjusted for maternal age, race/ethnicity, prepregnancy body mass index, neighborhood income, parity, smoking, n-3 fatty acids and selenium. Geometric mean total, methyl, and inorganic mercury concentrations were 1.40µg/L (95% confidence interval: 1.29, 1.52); 0.95µg/L (0.84, 1.07); and 0.13µg/L (0.10, 0.17), respectively. Elevated systolic BP, diastolic BP, and pulse pressure were found, respectively, in 11.4%, 6.8%, and 19.8% of mothers. In adjusted multivariable models, a one-tertile increase of methyl mercury was associated with 2.83mmHg (0.17, 5.50) higher systolic blood pressure and 2.99mmHg (0.91, 5.08) higher pulse pressure. In the same models, an increase of one tertile of inorganic mercury was associated with -1.18mmHg (-3.72, 1.35) lower systolic blood pressure and -2.51mmHg (-4.49, -0.53) lower pulse pressure. No associations were observed with diastolic pressure. There was a non-significant trend of higher total mercury with higher systolic blood pressure. We observed a significant association of higher methyl mercury with higher systolic and pulse pressure, yet higher inorganic mercury was significantly associated with lower pulse pressure. These results should be confirmed with larger, longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen M Wells
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Julie B Herbstman
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yu Hong Lin
- National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Joseph R Hibbeln
- National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Center for Environmental Security, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Frank R Witter
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lynn R Goldman
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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18
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Gulgun M. Heart Rate Variability, Heart Rate Recovery, and Heart Rate Turbulence Represent Different Components of the Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System. Med Princ Pract 2017; 26:98-99. [PMID: 27728910 PMCID: PMC5588333 DOI: 10.1159/000452335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Gulgun
- *Mustafa Gulgun, MD, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Gulhane Education and Research Hospital, General Dr. Tevfik Saglam Caddesi, No: 1, TR–06010 Etlik, Ankara (Turkey), E-Mail
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Miller C, Karimi R, Zhang Q, Yang J, Meliker J. Mercury, eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid demonstrate limited effect on plasma paraoxonase-1 activity and blood pressure among avid seafood consumers in the Long Island Study of Seafood Consumption, NY, USA. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2016; 220:373-377. [PMID: 27881290 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Moderate fish consumption is recommended for prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have known beneficial effects on risk factors such as reducing blood pressure (BP) and increasing paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity. However concomitant methylmercury (MeHg) exposure from fish consumption may mitigate these benefits and the net effect on BP and PON-1 activity has not been extensively studied in western populations consuming diverse seafood types. We studied the correlation between EPA, DHA and Hg levels with BP and PON-1 activity in a population of avid seafood consumers. METHODS Two hundred and eighty-eight avid seafood consumers from Long Island, NY had blood samples drawn for total blood mercury (THg), plasma EPA and DHA levels, and plasma PON-1 activity. Average systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) were measured. RESULTS Subjects' mean EPA+DHA was 4.9% total fatty acids, mean THg was 7.6mcg/L. Mean SBP was 122.5mmHg, mean DBP 70.3mmHg, mean PP 52.2mmHg and mean PON-1 activity 421.2U/L. THg was not associated with any of the BP measures in adjusted linear regression models; EPA+DHA was significantly inversely associated with PP (p=0.02). THg was associated with a significant increase in PON-1 activity (p=0.04), while EPA+DHA was associated with a significant decrease in PON-1 activity (p=0.007); although the size of the effects was small. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest blood THg and serum DHA+EPA levels have limited relationship to BP and PON-1 activity, and may not be important modulators of these known CHD risk factors in this population of avid seafood consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Miller
- Depatment of Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Roxanne Karimi
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Stony Brook University, United States
| | - Qiao Zhang
- US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, United States
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Jaymie Meliker
- Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, United States; Stony Brook University Program in Public Health, United States.
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Simões MR, Azevedo BF, Fiorim J, Jr Freire DD, Covre EP, Vassallo DV, dos Santos L. Chronic mercury exposure impairs the sympathovagal control of the rat heart. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2016; 43:1038-1045. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.12624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- MR Simões
- Department of Physiological Sciences; Federal University of Espírito Santo; Vitória ES Brazil
| | - BF Azevedo
- Department of Physiological Sciences; Federal University of Espírito Santo; Vitória ES Brazil
| | - J Fiorim
- Department of Physiological Sciences; Federal University of Espírito Santo; Vitória ES Brazil
| | - DD Jr Freire
- Department of Physiological Sciences; Federal University of Espírito Santo; Vitória ES Brazil
| | - EP Covre
- Department of Physiological Sciences; Federal University of Espírito Santo; Vitória ES Brazil
| | - DV Vassallo
- Department of Physiological Sciences; Federal University of Espírito Santo; Vitória ES Brazil
- Health Science Centre of Vitória; EMESCAM; Vitória ES Brazil
| | - L dos Santos
- Department of Physiological Sciences; Federal University of Espírito Santo; Vitória ES Brazil
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Mercury affects the nervous system and has been implicated in altering heart rhythm and function. We sought to better define its role in modulating heart rate variability, a well-known marker of cardiac autonomic function. DESIGN This is a systematic review study. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, TOXLINE, and DART databases without language restriction. We report findings as a qualitative systematic review because heterogeneity in study design and assessment of exposures and outcomes across studies, as well as other methodological limitations of the literature, precluded a quantitative meta-analysis. RESULTS We identified 12 studies of mercury exposure and heart rate variability in human populations (ten studies involving primarily environmental methylmercury exposure and two studies involving occupational exposure to inorganic mercury) conducted in Japan, the Faroe Islands, Canada, Korea, French Polynesia, Finland, and Egypt. The association of prenatal mercury exposure with lower high-frequency band scores (thought to reflect parasympathetic activity) in several studies, in particular the inverse association of cord blood mercury levels with the coefficient of variation of the R-R intervals and with low-frequency and high-frequency bands at 14 years of age in the Faroe Islands birth cohort study, suggests that early mercury exposure could have a long-lasting effect on cardiac parasympathetic activity. Studies with later environmental exposures to mercury in children or in adults were heterogeneous and did not show consistent associations. CONCLUSIONS The evidence was too limited to draw firm causal inferences. Additional research is needed to elucidate the effects of mercury on cardiac autonomic function, particularly as early-life exposures might have lasting impacts on cardiac parasympathetic function.
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An Investigation of Organic and Inorganic Mercury Exposure and Blood Pressure in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community in Ghana. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:10020-38. [PMID: 26308023 PMCID: PMC4555326 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120810020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing concern about the cardiovascular effects of mercury (Hg) exposure, and that organic methylmercury and inorganic Hg2+ may affect the cardiovascular system and blood pressure differentially. In small-scale gold mining communities where inorganic, elemental Hg exposures are high, little is known about the effects of Hg on blood pressure. In 2011, we assessed the relationship between Hg exposure and blood pressure (BP) in a cross-sectional study of adults from a small-scale gold mining community, Kejetia, and subsistence farming community, Gorogo, in Ghana’s Upper East Region. Participants’ resting heart rate and BP were measured, and hair and urine samples were provided to serve as biomarkers of organic and inorganic Hg exposure, respectively. Participants included 70 miners and 26 non-miners from Kejetia and 75 non-miners from Gorogo. Total specific gravity-adjusted urinary and hair Hg was higher among Kejetia miners than Kejetia non-miners and Gorogo participants (median urinary Hg: 5.17, 1.18, and 0.154 µg/L, respectively; hair Hg: 0.945, 0.419, and 0.181 µg/g, respectively). Hypertension was prevalent in 17.7% of Kejetia and 21.3% of Gorogo participants. Urinary and hair Hg were not significantly associated with systolic or diastolic BP for Kejetia or Gorogo participants while adjusting for sex, age, and smoking status. Although our results follow trends seen in other studies, the associations were not of statistical significance. Given the unique study population and high exposures to inorganic Hg, the work contained here will help increase our understanding of the cardiovascular effects of Hg.
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Fluegge KR, Fluegge KR. Glyphosate Use Predicts ADHD Hospital Discharges in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Net (HCUPnet): A Two-Way Fixed-Effects Analysis. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133525. [PMID: 26287729 PMCID: PMC4543553 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been considerable international study on the etiology of rising mental disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in human populations. As glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide in the world, we sought to test the hypothesis that glyphosate use in agriculture may be a contributing environmental factor to the rise of ADHD in human populations. State estimates for glyphosate use and nitrogen fertilizer use were obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). We queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project net (HCUPNET) for state-level hospitalization discharge data in all patients for all-listed ADHD from 2007 to 2010. We used rural-urban continuum codes from the USDA-Economic Research Service when exploring the effect of urbanization on the relationship between herbicide use and ADHD. Least squares dummy variable (LSDV) method and within method using two-way fixed effects was used to elucidate the relationship between glyphosate use and all-listed ADHD hospital discharges. We show that a one kilogram increase in glyphosate use, in particular, in one year significantly positively predicts state-level all-listed ADHD discharges, expressed as a percent of total mental disorders, the following year (coefficient = 5.54E-08, p<.01). A study on the effect of urbanization on the relationship between glyphosate and ADHD indicates that the relationship is marginally significantly positive after multiple comparison correction only in urban U.S. counties (p<.025). Furthermore, total glyphosate use is strongly positively associated with total farm use of nitrogen fertilizers from 1992 to 2006 (p<.001). We present evidence from the biomedical research literature of a plausible link among glyphosate, nitrogen dysbiosis and ADHD. Glyphosate use is a significant predictor of state hospitalizations for all-listed ADHD hospital discharges, with the effect concentrated in urban U.S. counties. This effect is seen even after controlling for individual state characteristics, strong correlations over time, and other significant associations with ADHD in the literature. We draw upon the econometric results to propose unique mechanisms, borrowing principles from soil and atmospheric sciences, for how glyphosate-based herbicides may be contributing to the rise of ADHD in all populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith R. Fluegge
- Institute of Health and Environmental Research (IHER), Cleveland, Ohio, 44118 United States of America
- Graduate School, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States of America
| | - Kyle R. Fluegge
- Institute of Health and Environmental Research (IHER), Cleveland, Ohio, 44118 United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, United States of America
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Omanwar S, Fahim M. Mercury Exposure and Endothelial Dysfunction: An Interplay Between Nitric Oxide and Oxidative Stress. Int J Toxicol 2015; 34:300-7. [PMID: 26060268 DOI: 10.1177/1091581815589766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelium plays a vital role in the organization and function of the blood vessel and maintains homeostasis of the circulatory system and normal arterial function. Functional disruption of the endothelium is recognized as the beginning event that triggers the development of consequent cardiovascular disease (CVD) including atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. There is a growing data associating mercury exposure with endothelial dysfunction and higher risk of CVD. This review explores and evaluates the impact of mercury exposure on CVD and endothelial function, highlighting the interplay of nitric oxide and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Omanwar
- School of Sciences, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India
| | - M Fahim
- Hamdard Institute of Medical Science and Research, Hamdard University, New Delhi, India
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Wildemann TM, Weber LP, Siciliano SD. Combined exposure to lead, inorganic mercury and methylmercury shows deviation from additivity for cardiovascular toxicity in rats. J Appl Toxicol 2014; 35:918-26. [PMID: 25523840 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Revised: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Environmental exposure to metal mixtures in the human population is common. Mixture risk assessments are often challenging because of a lack of suitable data on the relevant mixture. A growing number of studies show an association between lead or mercury exposure and cardiovascular effects. We investigated the cardiovascular effects of single metal exposure or co-exposure to methylmercury [MeHg(I)], inorganic mercury [Hg(II)] and lead [Pb(II)]. Male Wistar rats received four different metal mixtures for 28 days through the drinking water. The ratios of the metals were based on reference and environmental exposure values. Blood and pulse pressure, cardiac output and electrical activity of the heart were selected as end-points. While exposure to only MeHg(I) increased the systolic blood pressure and decreased cardiac output, the effects were reversed with combined exposures (antagonism). In contrast to these effects, combined exposures negatively affected the electrical activity of the heart (synergism). Thus, it appears that estimates of blood total Hg levels need to be paired with estimates of what species of mercury dominate exposure as well as whether lead co-exposure is present to link total blood Hg levels to cardiovascular effects. Based on current human exposure data and our results, there may be an increased risk of cardiac events as a result of combined exposures to Hg(II), MeHg(I) and Pb(II). This increased risk needs to be clarified by analyzing lead and Hg exposure data in relation to cardiac electrical activity in epidemiological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja M Wildemann
- Toxicology Graduate Program, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5B3.,Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5A8
| | - Lynn P Weber
- Toxicology Graduate Program, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5B3.,Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5B4
| | - Steven D Siciliano
- Toxicology Graduate Program, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5B3.,Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5A8
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Kalish BT, Rifas-Shiman SL, Wright RO, Amarasiriwardena CJ, Jayawardene I, Gillman MW, Lipshultz SE, Oken E. Associations of prenatal maternal blood mercury concentrations with early and mid-childhood blood pressure: a prospective study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2014; 133:327-33. [PMID: 25019468 PMCID: PMC4364915 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2013] [Revised: 05/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood blood pressure (BP) is an important determinant of adult cardiovascular disease. Prenatal exposure to methylmercury through maternal fish consumption has been reported to increase the BP of children years later. METHODS Mother-child pairs were enrolled from Project Viva, a prospective cohort study in Massachusetts. From second trimester maternal blood samples, we measured erythrocyte mercury concentration. Systolic BP in children, measured up to 5 times per visit in early and mid-childhood (median ages 3.2 and 7.7 years), was the primary outcome. We used mixed-effect regression models to account for variation in the number of BP measurements and to average effects over both time points. RESULTS Among 1103 mother-child pairs, mean (SD) second trimester total erythrocyte mercury concentration was 4.0 (3.9)ng/g among mothers whose children were assessed in early childhood and 4.0 (4.0)ng/g for children assessed in mid-childhood. Mean (SD) offspring systolic BP was 92.1 (10.4)mm Hg in early childhood and 94.3 (8.4)mm Hg in mid-childhood. After adjusting for mother and infant characteristics, mean second trimester blood mercury concentration was not associated with child systolic BP (regression coefficient, 0.1mm Hg; 95% CI, -1.3 to 1.5 for quartile 4 vs. quartile 1) at either time period. Further adjusting for second trimester maternal fish consumption, as well as docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid consumption, did not substantially change the estimates. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrate an absence of association between childhood blood pressure and low-level mercury exposure typical of the general US population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Robert O Wright
- Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Chitra J Amarasiriwardena
- Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Innocent Jayawardene
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew W Gillman
- Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Steven E Lipshultz
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine and Children׳s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Emily Oken
- Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, United States
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Valera B, Dewailly E, Poirier P. Association between methylmercury and cardiovascular risk factors in a native population of Quebec (Canada): a retrospective evaluation. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2013; 120:102-108. [PMID: 22959488 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2012.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2012] [Revised: 07/24/2012] [Accepted: 08/02/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological evidence suggests a negative impact of methylmercury (MeHg) on cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). This issue is of concern in Arctic populations such as in the Inuit of Nunavik since this contaminant is accumulated in fish and marine mammals, which still represent the subsistence diet of this population. OBJECTIVE We examined the associations between MeHg and BP and resting HR among Inuit adults. METHODS The "Santé Quebec" health survey was conducted in 1992 in the 14 villages of Nunavik and a complete set of data was obtained for 313 Inuit adults≥18 years. Blood samples were collected in order to determine total mercury, lead, total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), fasting glucose and lipid profile while socio-demographic variables were obtained through questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements as well as BP and resting HR were obtained using standardised protocols. Pulse pressure (PP: systolic BP minus diastolic BP) was also calculated. Multiple linear regression was used in order to determine the change in the dependent variables associated with the quartiles of MeHg concentration, taking the quartile 1 as reference. RESULTS The mean age of the participants was 38±14 years and the sample was composed of 132 men (42.2%) and 181 women (57.8%). MeHg geometric mean was 15.4 μg/L (95%CI: 13.9-17.0) and levels ranged from 0.8 to 112.0 μg/L. Resting HR increased linearly across quartiles of blood MeHg concentration after adjusting for confounders (p for trend=0.02). An increase of 6.9 beats per minute (bpm) between the 4th and 1st quartile was observed after adjusting for confounders. No significant association was observed between blood MeHg and systolic BP, diastolic BP or PP. CONCLUSIONS MeHg was associated with increasing resting HR after considering traditional risk factors as well as other contaminants (lead and total PCBs) and n-3 PUFAs. In contrast, no significant association with blood pressure was observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Valera
- Axe santé des populations et environnementale, Centre de recherche du CHUQ, Édifice Delta 2, 2875, boulevard Laurier, 6e étage, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada G1V 2M2.
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Hassauer M, Kaiser E, Schneider K, Schuhmacher‐Wolz U. Collate the literature on toxicity data on mercury in experimental animals and humans (Part I – Data on organic mercury). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.2903/sp.efsa.2012.en-297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hassauer
- Forschungs‐ und Beratungsinstitut Gefahrstoffe GmbH (FoBiG) Freiburg Germany
| | - Eva Kaiser
- Forschungs‐ und Beratungsinstitut Gefahrstoffe GmbH (FoBiG) Freiburg Germany
| | - Klaus Schneider
- Forschungs‐ und Beratungsinstitut Gefahrstoffe GmbH (FoBiG) Freiburg Germany
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Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food. EFSA J 2012. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 276] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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Mozaffarian D, Shi P, Morris JS, Grandjean P, Siscovick DS, Spiegelman D, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Curhan GC, Forman JP. Mercury exposure and risk of hypertension in US men and women in 2 prospective cohorts. Hypertension 2012; 60:645-52. [PMID: 22868395 PMCID: PMC3466587 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.112.196154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Cross-sectional studies and animal experiments suggest that methylmercury exposure could increase the risk of hypertension. This relationship has not been evaluated in large prospective studies. Using data from previous nested case-control studies in 2 separate prospective cohorts, we measured toenail mercury, a valid biomarker of long-term methylmercury exposure, among 6045 US men and women free of hypertension at baseline. Geometric mean toenail mercury concentrations were 0.08 μg/g in the lowest quintile and 0.74 μg/g in the highest quintile, the latter corresponding with exposures ≈2.0-fold higher than the US Environmental Protection Agency reference dose. Participants were followed prospectively (mean±SD follow-up, 14.9±7.9 years) for a new self-report of physician-diagnosed hypertension (3540 cases), shown to be >95% sensitive and specific for diagnosing hypertension in these cohorts as compared with review of medical charts and direct blood pressure measurement, respectively. After adjustment for demographic, clinical, and lifestyle risk factors, the hazard ratio (95% CI) for incident hypertension in the highest versus lowest quintile of mercury exposure was 0.96 (0.84-1.09) in women, 0.82 (0.62-1.08) in men, and 0.94 (0.84-1.06) in both cohorts combined. Findings were similar when more extreme categories of mercury were compared (across deciles, with geometric mean levels in highest decile ≈2.9-fold higher than the reference dose) and in analyses stratified by fish or omega-3 consumption, selenium levels, body mass index, and age. These findings from 2 separate large prospective cohort studies do not support any clinically apparent adverse effects of methylmercury exposure on the risk of hypertension in men or women, including at levels ≤2.5-fold higher than the reference dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariush Mozaffarian
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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