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Comparison of Blood Lead Levels in Children and Adolescents with and without Functional Abdominal Pain
Fatemeh Famouri1, Maryam Yazdi1, Awat Feizii2
1Child Growth and Development Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Insights
This study found no significant difference in blood lead levels between children with and without functional abdominal pain. Elevated lead levels were observed in both groups, suggesting environmental factors may play a role in functional gastrointestinal disorders.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Functional abdominal pain is a common pediatric health concern with unclear causes.
- Environmental factors are suspected contributors to functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID).
- Lead exposure is a potential environmental risk factor for various health issues in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare blood lead levels in children and adolescents with and without functional abdominal pain.
- To investigate the association between environmental lead exposure and FGID in a pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, involving 139 children (68 cases with FGID, 71 age- and sex-matched controls).
- Blood samples were analyzed for lead, iron, and calcium levels.
- Participants completed food consumption and environmental pollutant questionnaires.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference was found in mean blood lead levels between the FGID group (3.98 ± 2.56 μg/dl) and the control group (3.81 ± 1.96 μg/dl).
- A higher percentage of children with high lead levels had FGID (55.3%) compared to those with lower lead levels (44.4%), but this difference was not statistically significant.
- Elevated blood lead levels were noted in both the FGID and control groups.
Conclusions:
- While blood lead levels were not significantly different between groups, the trend suggests a potential link requiring further investigation.
- Elevated lead levels in both cases and controls highlight the need for broader environmental assessments.
- Future large-scale ecological studies are recommended to explore the relationship between lead exposure and FGID more definitively.
Background:
Functional abdominal pain is a health concern with chronic abdominal discomfort without clear etiology. Several etiologic factors are raised in this regard, one related to environmental factors. This study aimed to compare blood lead levels between children and adolescents with and without functional abdominal pain.
Materials And Methods:
This case-control study was performed in 2019-2020 in Isfahan, Iran. The sample size was calculated as 70 cases and an equal number of controls. Cases were children and adolescents with functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID), and controls were grouped age- and sex-matched. Controls were randomly selected from those referred for routine health screening. Both groups obtained blood lead, iron, and calcium levels. All participants completed the FFQ Food Consumption and Environmental Pollutants Questionnaire.
Results:
Participants were 139 children (68 cases and 71 controls). The mean (SD) age was 9.40 (3.91) years in the FGID group and 8.79 (3.46) years in the controls (P = 0.330). The mean (SD) blood lead level was not significantly different between the FGID group and the controls (3.98 ± 2.56 vs 3.81 ± 1.96 μg/dl, respectively, P = 0.670). We found that 55.3% of children with high lead levels had FGID, while 44.4% of children with lower lead levels had FGID, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.33).
Conclusion:
We found that the lead level was higher in patients with FGID than in the controls; however, this difference was not significantly different. This might be because of elevated lead levels in both groups. Future ecological studies with a large sample size are necessary in this regard.
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