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Iron deficiency anaemia and blood lead concentrations in Brazilian children

Patricia Helen Carvalho Rondó1, Andréia Conde, Miriam Coelho Souza

  • 1Nutrition Department, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo 715, SP, Brazil. phcrondo@usp.br

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|July 12, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Children living near lead industries with lower hemoglobin and ferritin levels showed higher blood lead concentrations. Further research into iron supplementation is recommended to reduce lead exposure in children.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Toxicology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Lead exposure in children is a significant public health concern, particularly in areas with industrial activity.
  • Iron deficiency is common in children and may influence lead absorption and toxicity.
  • Understanding the interplay between iron status and blood lead levels is crucial for effective intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between iron deficiency/iron deficiency anemia markers and blood lead concentration in Brazilian children.
  • To identify factors influencing blood lead levels in children residing near a lead-manipulating industry.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study of 384 Brazilian children (aged 2-11 years) living near a lead-manipulating industry.
  • Assessment of iron status using complete blood counts, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and ferritin.
  • Measurement of blood lead concentration using atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
  • Multiple linear regression analysis to determine the impact of iron status parameters and other variables on blood lead levels.

Main Results:

  • Significant negative associations were found between blood lead concentration and distance from the lead-manipulating industry (P<0.001), hemoglobin (Hb) (P=0.019), and ferritin (P=0.023).
  • The model explained 14% of the variance in blood lead concentration (R(2)=0.14).

Conclusions:

  • Lower hemoglobin and ferritin levels are associated with higher blood lead concentrations in children living near lead-manipulating industries.
  • These findings suggest a potential role for iron status in modulating lead toxicity.
  • Further epidemiological studies are warranted to explore interventions such as iron supplementation or fortification to reduce blood lead levels in children.

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