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The effect of chelation on blood pressure in lead-exposed children: a randomized study

Aimin Chen1, George G Rhoads, Bo Cai

  • 1Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.

Environmental Health Perspectives
|April 4, 2006
PubMed

Insights

This study found no link between moderately high blood lead levels and blood pressure in young children. Succimer treatment did not alter blood pressure, even when it lowered lead levels.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Previous studies suggest a weak link between blood lead concentration and blood pressure in children.
  • The impact of lead exposure on cardiovascular health in pediatric populations requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between blood lead concentration and blood pressure in children with elevated lead levels.
  • To determine if succimer chelation therapy affects blood pressure in these children.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized clinical trial involving 780 children aged 12-33 months with blood lead concentrations of 20-44 microg/dL.
  • Comparison of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between a succimer-treated group and a placebo group over a 5-year follow-up period.
  • Analysis of the relationship between blood lead levels and blood pressure.

Main Results:

  • Succimer treatment effectively lowered blood lead concentrations for 9-10 months but did not significantly alter blood pressure during this period.
  • Over 1-5 years, the succimer group showed a slight increase in systolic blood pressure (1.09 mmHg) compared to the placebo group, but diastolic blood pressure differences were not significant.
  • No overall association was found between blood lead concentration and blood pressure in children with moderately high lead exposure.

Conclusions:

  • There is no discernible association between blood lead concentration and blood pressure in children experiencing moderately high lead exposure.
  • Chelation therapy with succimer does not appear to influence blood pressure in this pediatric cohort.

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