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Gender differences in cadmium and cotinine levels in prepubertal children
A Fucic1, D Plavec2, L Casteleyn3
1Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Environmental Research
|December 23, 2014
Summary
Environmental stressors like cadmium (Cd) exposure during childhood are understudied. This research measured cadmium and cotinine levels in European children, finding a correlation between cadmium and kidney function, and an increase with age.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Toxicology
- Biomonitoring
Background:
- Susceptibility to environmental stressors is known for fetal and early childhood, but the prepubertal period is under-investigated.
- Exposure data for environmental stressors during the prepubertal phase are scarce.
- This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding environmental exposures in prepubertal children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cadmium (Cd) and cotinine exposure levels in prepubertal children across Europe.
- To explore potential correlations between Cd levels, age, sex, and kidney function markers.
- To assess the impact of low-level environmental exposures during a critical developmental period.
Main Methods:
- Urine samples from 216 children (aged 6-11 years) across 12 European countries were analyzed for cadmium, cotinine, and creatinine.
- Children were grouped by age and sex to identify developmental trends.
- Cadmium and cotinine levels were adjusted for creatinine to account for urinary dilution.
Main Results:
- Median cadmium level was 0.180 µg/L and median cotinine level was 1.50 µg/L.
- No significant differences in cotinine levels were found between age and sex groups.
- A significant correlation between cadmium and creatinine levels was observed, indicating potential kidney effects even at low exposure levels.
- Cadmium levels showed a significant increase with age and varied between specific age-sex groups.
Conclusions:
- Prepubertal children are exposed to cadmium, with levels increasing with age.
- Low-level cadmium exposure may impact kidney function in children.
- Further research is needed to understand gender differences and the long-term health implications of cadmium exposure in this age group.
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