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Blood Lead Level in a Paediatric Population of South-Eastern Spain and Associated Risk Factors

Lucía Ruiz-Tudela1, Maria Angeles Vázquez-López2, Iciar García-Escobar2

  • 1Departament of Pediatric, Rafael Méndez University Hospital, 30813 Lorca, Spain.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|March 6, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Blood lead levels (BLL) in healthy Spanish children are low. Immigrant origin, low parental education, and poor dietary iron intake are risk factors for elevated BLL.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Health
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Lead exposure in children is a significant public health concern.
  • Understanding sociodemographic and dietary factors influencing blood lead levels (BLL) is crucial for targeted interventions.
  • Previous studies have indicated varying BLL across different populations and regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine BLL in a healthy pediatric population in Almería, Spain.
  • To analyze sociodemographic, dietary, and hematological factors associated with BLL.
  • To identify risk factors for toxic BLL in children.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study of 1427 healthy children aged 1-16 years.
  • Determination of BLL, iron parameters, and erythropoietin.
  • Collection of sociodemographic and dietary data, analyzed using multiple logistic regression.

Main Results:

  • Mean BLL was 1.98 ± 1.1 µg/dL; toxic levels (>5 µg/dL) were found in 2.1% of subjects.
  • Immigrant origin (OR:11.9), low parental education (OR:4.6), and low dietary iron bioavailability (OR: 3.2) were significant risk factors for toxic BLL.
  • Iron and erythropoiesis parameters were similar between toxic and non-toxic BLL groups, except for erythrocyte protoporphyrin.

Conclusions:

  • BLL and toxic BLL prevalence in this Spanish pediatric cohort are low and comparable to other developed countries.
  • Key risk factors for toxic BLL include immigrant origin, low parental education, and dietary iron deficiency.
  • The study found no significant relationship between BLL toxicity and the measured hematological parameters.
Abstract

Keywords:
Spainerythropoyesisiron deficincyleadlead poisoningpaediatrics populationsociodemografic factor

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