The Association between Mineral and Trace Element Concentrations in Hair and the 10-Year Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Healthy Community-Dwelling Elderly Individuals

Association between essential metals, adherence to healthy lifestyle behavior, and ankle-brachial index

BACKGROUND

Ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a noninvasive diagnostic method for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and a predictor of cardiovascular events.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to evaluate the association between individual or combined essential metals and ABI, as well as assess the collective impact of essential metals when coupled with healthy lifestyle on ABI.

METHODS

A total of 2865 participants were recruited in Wuhan Tongji Hospital between August 2018 and March 2019. Concentrations of essential metals in urine were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.

RESULTS

The results of general linear regression models demonstrated that after adjusting for confounding factors, there was a positive association between ABI increase and per unit increase of log 10-transformed, creatinine-corrected urinary Cr (β (95 % CI): 0.010 (0.004, 0.016), PFDR = 0.007), Fe (β (95 % CI): 0.010 (0.003, 0.017), PFDR = 0.018), and Co (β (95 % CI): 0.013 (0.005, 0.021), PFDR = 0.007). The WQS regression revealed a positive relationship between the mixture of essential metals and ABI (β (95 % CI): 0.006 (0.003, 0.010), P < 0.001), with Cr and Co contributing most to the relationship (weighted 45.48 % and 40.14 %, respectively). Compared to individuals with unfavorable lifestyle and the lowest quartile of Cr, Fe and Co, those with favorable lifestyle and the highest quartile of Cr, Fe and Co exhibited the most increase in ABI (β (95 % CI): 0.030 (0.017, 0.044) for Cr, β (95 % CI): 0.027 (0.013, 0.040) for Fe, and β (95 % CI): 0.030 (0.016, 0.044) for Co).

CONCLUSION

In summary, our study indicates that adequate essential metal intake together with healthy lifestyle behaviors perform crucial roles in PAD protection.

The single and mixed impacts of cadmium, cobalt, lead, and PAHs on systemic immunity inflammation index in male and female

Background

Studies on the association between mixed exposure to common pollutants such as cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with Systemic Immune Inflammatory Index (SII), a novel hemocyte-based inflammatory marker, have not been reported. This study explored the relationship between co-exposure to Cd, Co, Pb, PAHs, and SII.

Methods

In this study, we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and enrolled adults with complete information on Cd, Co, Pb, PAHs, and SII. The linear regression was used to analyze the association of single pollutants with SII. Furthermore, a Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression analysis and a generalized weighted quantile sum regression analysis were used to analyze the association between mixed exposure to Cd, Co, Pb, and six PAHs and SII. We also separated males and females and analyzed the different effects of pollutants on SII, respectively.

Results

5,176 participants were included in the study. After adjusting for age, gender, race, education, smoking, drinking, physical activity, and sedentary, Cd, Co, 1-OHN, 2-OHN and 2-OHF were positive with SII in the total population. Compared with the 50th percentile, the joint effect of pollutants on SII was positive. In the total population, males, and females, the top contaminant with the highest effect weights on SII were Co, Cd, and 1-OHN, respectively. The result of interaction analysis showed that the low concentrations of Cd had an elevation effect on SII in males.

Conclusion

This study found a positive association of mixed exposure to Cd, Co, Pb, and six PAHs with SII, which occurred mainly in females.

The Diagnostic Value of Trace Metal Concentrations in Hair in Carotid Artery Disease

Several studies showed the role of trace elements in the increase in human susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases. Carotid artery stenosis is a leading cause of ischemic neurological events. We aimed to analyze the potential role of trace elements in hair as biomarkers of atherosclerotic carotid artery disease. Materials and Methods: Fifty-seven (n = 31 (54%) men and n = 26 (46%) women) individuals with a mean age of 67.7 ± 7.7 years who were white, European, non-Hispanic, and non-Latino were diagnosed and treated in hypertensiology/internal medicine and surgical departments over three consecutive months. Of these patients, forty were diagnosed with advanced carotid artery disease, and seventeen comprised a group of healthy controls. Inflammatory and oncological diseases were exclusion criteria. Hair samples were collected, and 14 trace elements were analyzed. Clinical and laboratory data were compared and revealed differences in the co-existence of diabetes (p = 0.036) and smoking history (p = 0.041). In the multivariable analysis, zinc, chrome, and copper revealed predictive value for the occurrence of carotid artery disease, and their combined receiver operating curve showed area under the curve of 0.935, with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 82.4%. Conclusion: Our report shows the significance of trace elements analyses in patients with advanced carotid artery disease. We revealed that zinc, copper, and chrome concentrations are of particular importance in differentiating atherosclerotic disease and may serve as biomarkers of carotid atherosclerosis. Hair samples represent an easily obtained and beneficial biomatrix for the assessment of biomarkers.

Relationships Between Hair Chemical Elements and Nutritional Status in Oldest-Old and Centenarian Populations

Background

Hair chemical elements reflect physical condition over time. Collection, transporting, and storing hair is more convenient than handling blood. Hair elements show higher levels for a long time, which allows for more accurate and sensitive results than using blood. Studies explored the relationships between elements and age, without full consideration of nutritional status, in older people. This study explored the relationships between hair chemical elements and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in oldest-old and centenarian populations to provide an updated reference for nutritional evaluation of older people.

Methods

A total of 152 participants over 80 years old underwent home interviews and physical examinations. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer was used to detect hair chemical elements.

Results

Women accounted for 77.0% of participants. Women had lower levels of zinc, and higher levels of selenium, manganese, lead, iron, and copper than men (P<0.05 for all). Ninety-two participants formed the 80-99 year group, and 60 participants formed the 100+ year group. Centenarians had lower levels of selenium, lead, iron, and copper than those aged 80-99 years (P<0.05 for all). Hair selenium levels were positively associated with GNRI (odds ratio: 11.55, 95% confidence interval: 3.42-19.68, P < 0.05) based on a multivariate linear regression analysis. Other chemical elements had no significant associations with GNRI based on a multivariate linear regression analysis.

Conclusion

Chemical elements and nutrient status were altered based on age and gender, and an association existed between hair selenium and nutritional status in older people. Chemical elements may influence and indicate nutritional status in older people.

The association between essential trace element mixture and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk among Chinese community-dwelling older adults

The evidence about the association of the essential trace element (ETE) mixture with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) amongst older adults is limited. This study aims to evaluate the associations of single ETEs and the ETE mixture with the 10-year ASCVD risks and its predicting factors in Chinese community-dwelling older adults. A total of 607 community-dwelling older adults were included in this study. Blood levels of vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and selenium (Se) were assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The predicted 10-year ASCVD risk was calculated using the Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China (China-PAR) equations. Traditional linear regressions and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess the associations of single ETEs and the ETE mixture with the 10-year ASCVD risks and its predicting factors such as systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), diabetes, and waist circumference (WC). In linear regression models, blood Cr levels were negatively associated with the 10-year ASCVD risks after adjustment for covariates (β =  - 0.07, 95% CI =  - 0.11 ~  - 0.03); The 3th quartile (Q3) of Se levels was also associated with a lower 10-year ASCVD risks when compared with the lowest quartile (Q1) of Se levels (β_Q3 vs. _Q1: - 0.12, 95% CI =  - 0.22 ~  - 0.02). In BKMR models, the negative associations of Cr and Se with the 10-year ASCVD risks were observed. Higher blood levels of ETE mixture were associated with decreased 10-year ASCVD risks in a dose-response pattern, with Cr having the highest value of the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) within the mixture. Furthermore, a positive association between Cr and HDL-C and a negative association between Se and SBP were found in both linear regression and BKMR models. Cr and Se were negatively associated with the 10-year ASCVD risks, individually and as a mixture. ETE mixture showed a linear dose-response association with decreased 10-year ASCVD risks, with Cr being the most important component within the mixture. The negative association of the ETE mixture with the 10-year ASCVD risks may be attributed to Cr and Se, mainly mediated by HDL-C and SBP, respectively. Further cohort studies are needed to clarify this association.

Heavy metals controlling cardiovascular diseases risk factors in myocardial infarction patients in critically environmentally heavy metal-polluted steel industrial town Mandi-Gobindgarh (India)

Heavy metals (HMs) have a very significant clinical role in the pathogenesis, progression and management of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The prevalence of CVDs was reported to be higher in critically environmentally HM-polluted (EHMP) steel industrial town Mandi-Gobindgarh (India) for the last more than a decade. To ascertain the role of HMs in the onset of CVDs, the present study was chosen to investigate HMs content in myocardial infarction (MI) patients from EHMP steel industrial town Mandi-Gobindgarh. Total of 110 MI patients along with number- and age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited in the present investigation. The CVDs risk factors estimated in MI patients were overweight (higher body mass index), hypertension (higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures), dyslipidaemia (higher serum cholesterol, triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol), inflammation (higher-serum C reactive protein and aldosterone) and elevated oxidative stress (higher urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine). An imbalance of serum electrolyte concentrations including Na (hypernatremia), Ca (hypercalcaemia) and K (hypokalaemia) was also observed in MI patients in which CVDs risk factors were found to correlate positively with serum Na and Ca and negatively with serum K, respectively. Hair HM analysis was used as a bio-indicator for monitoring body HM status from past environmental HM exposure in which CVDs risk factors were observed to correlate positively with higher hair concentrations of Zn, Fe, Mo, Pb, As, Ca and Na and negatively with lower hair concentrations of Cu, Mg, Mn and K in MI patients, respectively. Thus, higher hair concentrations of Zn and Pb indicate their higher environmental exposure and possible cause of higher CVDs risk factors in MI patients from Mandi-Gobindgarh.

Associations between Hair Mineral Concentrations and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Korean Adults

OBJECTIVES

Muscle health plays an important role in maintaining function and independence in the elderly, and some nutrients provide protection against the age-related decline of muscle strength and function. Minerals are important nutrients that may contribute to the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia, but they have not been well-studied. This study investigated whether hair mineral concentrations differ between subjects with low muscle mass (LMM) and subjects with normal muscle mass.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 232 adults ≥ 20 years of age who visited the Health Promotion Center of the University Hospital in Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.

MEASUREMENTS

The data from 232 subjects were analyzed and divided into LMM and normal groups based on the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) (LMM was defined as ASMI < 7.0 kg/m2 in men and < 5.7 kg/m2 in women). Skeletal muscle mass was estimated using a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device with a body composition analyzer.

RESULTS

Overall mean age of participants was 50.4±11.6 years (29.7% women). Subjects with LMM showed significantly lower triglyceride levels, greater high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and lower body mass index (BMI), compared with subjects who had normal muscle mass. No significant differences in hair mineral concentrations were observed between subjects with LMM and subjects with normal muscle mass, with the exception of copper. Hair copper concentrations were significantly greater in subjects with LMM than in subjects with normal muscle mass after adjustment for covariates and factors (65.7±14.2 vs 33.1±4.3 μg/g, P = 0.035).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that hair mineral status may play a role in the development of LMM. Therefore, further studies with larger numbers of subjects are required to identify the effects of mineral imbalances, their relationships with sarcopenia, and the differences between subjects with LMM and subjects with normal muscle mass.

Abnormal values of trace elements and blood metals in patients with metabolic syndrome, depending on its components

Aim. To study the level of “toxic” (Al, Cd, Pb) and “essential” (Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, Ni, and Se) trace elements (TE) and blood metals (BM) in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS), depending on its individual components. Materials and methods. 112 patients with MS were examined (45 men and 67 women; average age 61.4±7.2 years, average duration of MS 8.7±5.2 years). The study of BM was carried out by atomic emission spectrophotometry with inductively coupled plasma . Results and discussion. To study the amount of TE and BM in the group of MS patients,it was significantly higher levels of “toxic” MEs - Al, Cd, Pb - were revealed along with a decrease in the content of the “essential” Zn element as compared to the control group. At the same time, a pronounced positive correlation between the fact of the presence of MS and the level of “toxic” microelements - Al (r=0.71; p