[Blood and urine lead levels in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]
M del Carmen S Sánchez-Villegas1, Astrid Cortés-Vargas, Ricardo Gerardo Hidalgo-Luna
1Servicio de Urgencias Pediátricas y Centro de Información y Asistencia Toxicológica, Hospital General, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Distrito Federal, México. minitoxx@gmail.com.
Insights
Pediatric patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed high blood lead levels. This study found a significant association between elevated lead exposure and ADHD symptoms in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neuropsychiatry
- Environmental Health
Context:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent childhood neuropsychiatric disorder, with adult persistence in 60% of cases.
- Lead exposure is a significant environmental concern with potential neurodevelopmental impacts.
Purpose:
- To quantify blood and urine lead levels in pediatric patients diagnosed with ADHD.
- To investigate the association between lead exposure and ADHD clinical presentation.
Summary:
- An observational study included 39 pediatric ADHD patients (mean age 9.2 years, 93.2% male).
- Atomic absorption spectroscopy determined lead levels in blood and urine.
- Nearly half (49%) of patients exhibited toxic blood lead levels (>10 mg/dL), with some meeting criteria for lead poisoning stages III and IV.
- A significant association was found between elevated blood lead levels and the clinical expression of ADHD.
Impact:
- Findings suggest a potential link between early childhood lead exposure and ADHD, highlighting the need for environmental lead reduction.
- While results indicate an association, they are insufficient to establish a causal relationship, warranting further research.
Background:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most common neuropsychiatric disorder in children; symptoms can persist into adult life by 60 %. Our objective was to quantify the levels of lead in blood and urine in pediatric patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Methods:
We did an observational study which included a captive population of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the mental health service of Hospital General, from Centro Médico Nacional La Raza. Lead levels were determined in blood and urine by atomic absorption technique.
Results:
We included 39 patients, 932 % male, with a mean age of 9.2 ± 2.16 years. The deficit and hyperactivity disorder combined type was the most frequent (69.2 %); 49 % of patients were found with toxic lead levels in blood (above 10 mg/dL); 17.9 % with stage III and 5.12 % with stage IV, according to the Mexican Official Standard (NOM-199-SSA-2000). Significant association was found between blood lead levels and the clinical expression of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Conclusions:
Levels of lead exposure during early childhood have been shown to be inversely proportional to neurological development in the first seven years of life. Data results are insufficient to relate them with causality.
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