Associations between urinary rare Earth elements with renal function: Findings from a cross-sectional study in...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Toxicology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Rare earth elements (REEs) have widespread industrial applications, raising public health concerns regarding exposure.
• In vivo studies indicate REEs affect renal function, but epidemiological data is limited.
• This study investigates the epidemiological link between REEs exposure and renal function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of exposure to 12 different rare earth elements (REEs) on renal function in a human population.
• To identify specific REEs associated with changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
• To explore the combined effects of REE co-exposure on renal function using advanced statistical models.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1052 participants from Guangxi, China.
• Urinary REE concentrations measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
• Multiple linear regression, Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models employed to analyze REE-eGFR relationships.

Main Results:

• Increased urinary concentrations of lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), and dysprosium (Dy) were significantly associated with elevated eGFR.
• WQS and BKMR models confirmed the association between mixed REE exposure and eGFR, with Pr showing the strongest correlation.
• Observed interactions between Pr and La, and Pr and Nd, suggesting synergistic effects on renal function.

Conclusions:

• Co-exposure to REEs is positively associated with elevated eGFR, indicating a potential impact on renal function.
• Praseodymium (Pr) appears to be a key element influencing increased eGFR, potentially exacerbated by co-exposure to lanthanum (La) and neodymium (Nd).
• Mixed, low-dose REE exposure may have a protective effect on renal function, suggesting an environmental exposure threshold.