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Published on: August 25, 2014
[Lead poisoning in the newborn and infants: an epidemiological study in an area of Northern Italy]
G Garbo1, M Frigerio, P A Ivaldi
1Divisione di Pediatria, Ospedale Umberto I Mauriziano di Torino, Italia.
Insights
Lead exposure in newborns and infants in Italy
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Toxicology
- Public Health
Background:
- Prenatal lead exposure can cause irreversible neurological damage.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established a blood lead level of 10 mcg/dL as a toxicity threshold in 1991.
- No prior data existed on childhood blood lead levels in Italy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess blood lead levels in newborns and 4-month-old infants in Italy's Piemonte Region.
- To evaluate potential differences in lead exposure based on urban versus rural residence.
- To determine if routine lead screening is necessary for this population.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 55 mother-infant pairs was studied.
- Blood samples were collected from newborns and 4-month-old infants.
- Lead, ALA-d, and Zn-PP levels were measured at three time points.
Main Results:
- Mean blood lead levels in the studied infants were below the 10 mcg/dL toxicity threshold.
- Biomarkers ALA-d and Zn-PP were within normal ranges.
- No significant differences in lead levels were observed between urban and rural residents.
Conclusions:
- The study suggests that routine blood lead screening may not be necessary for newborns and infants in the Piemonte Region.
- A selective screening approach, potentially using questionnaires, is recommended.
- Further research could inform targeted public health interventions.
Objective:
Lead crosses the placenta and can cause permanent neurological impairment by prenatal poisoning. Blood lead levels higher than 10 mcgr/dl in children age 1 to 2 years may be toxic. In 1991 the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) published "Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children" with the new guidelines defining the value of 10 mcgr/dl as the security limit. Since no blood lead levels in childhood have been collected in Italy this study reports blood lead levels in newborns and 4 month old infants in the Piemonte Region.
Design:
The study was carried out on a random sample of 55 mother-infant couples attending the Mauriziano Hospital in Turin. The cohort was divided into urban versus rural residence. In every subject attending the study lead, ALA-d and Zn-PP were measured on venous blood specimens in three different moments.
Results:
Even though our study refers to a small population our data were reassuring. The mean lead values found in the cohort in the three different stages were all below 10 mcgr/dl. ALA-d and Zn-PP resulted also in normal ranges. No statistical difference emerged between urban and rural coming subjects.
Conclusions:
In consideration of the results obtained we cannot confirm the necessity of a general screening programme for lead poisoning in our population. We assert the utility of a selective screening on the basis of a questionnaire as already experimented in some states of the U.S.A.
