Journal Article
Associations of toenail arsenic, cadmium, mercury, manganese and lead with blood pressure in the Normative Aging Study
Mordukhovich, I; Wright, RO; Hu, H; Amarasiriwardena, C; Baccarelli, A; Litonjua, A; Sparrow, D; Vokonas, P; Schwartz, J
Environmental Health Perspectives
ISSN: 0091-6765
EISSN: 1552-9924
US DEPT HEALTH HUMAN SCIENCES PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE
BACKGROUND: Arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead are associated with cardiovascular disease in epidemiologic research. These associations may be mediated by the metals' direct effects on blood pressure (BP) elevation. Manganese is associated with cardiovascular dysfunction and hypotension in occupational cohorts. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that chronic arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead exposures elevate and manganese lowers BP. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of associations between toenail metals and BP among older men from the Normative Aging Study (n = 639), using linear regression and adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: An interquartile range increase in toenail arsenic was associated with higher SBP (0.93 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.25, 1.62) and pulse pressure (0.76 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.22, 1.30). Positive associations between arsenic and BP and negative associations between manganese and BP were strengthened in models adjusted for other toenail metals. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest associations between BP, arsenic and manganese. This may be of public health importance due to prevalence of both metal exposure and cardiovascular disease. Results should be interpreted cautiously given potential limitations of toenails as biomarkers of metal exposure.
arsenic; blood pressure; cadmium; epidemiology; lead; manganese; mercury; metals
