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Association Between Lead Exposure and Red Blood Cell Folate Concentrations in U.S. Children Aged 2-17 Years: An
Wenping Hu1, Tanya Telfair LeBlanc1, Perri Zeitz Ruckart1
1National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
Insights
Even low blood lead levels (BLLs) are linked to lower red blood cell folate in children. This study highlights a negative association between lead exposure and folate levels in U.S. children.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Lead exposure, even at low levels, poses significant health risks to children.
- Red blood cell folate is crucial for various physiological processes and overall health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between low blood lead levels (BLLs) and red blood cell folate concentrations in U.S. children.
- To determine if lead exposure impacts folate status in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007-2018.
- Included 12,739 U.S. children aged 2-17 years with BLLs below 10 µg/dL.
- Employed multivariate linear regression analysis, categorizing BLLs into tertiles.
Main Results:
- A significant negative relationship was observed between BLLs and red blood cell folate concentrations.
- Children in higher BLL tertiles (2 and 3) exhibited lower red blood cell folate levels compared to the lowest tertile.
- Subgroup analyses by age, gender, and race/Hispanic origin confirmed this negative association.
Conclusions:
- Low-level lead exposure is associated with reduced red blood cell folate concentrations in children.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and potential benefits of folate in mitigating lead's adverse effects.
Abstract:
The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of low blood lead levels (BLLs) on the red blood cell folate concentrations in U.S. children aged 2-17 years. All data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) over six consecutive cycles from 2007-2008 to 2017-2018. A total of 12,739 children with BLLs lower than 10 µg/dL (geometric mean: 0.66 µg/dL) were included in the dataset. BLLs were categorized into three tertiles (tertile 1: <0.55 µg/dL; tertile 2: 0.55-0.95 µg/dL; and tertile 3: ≥0.95 µg/dL). The multivariate linear regression model analysis indicates a negative relationship between BLLs and red blood cell folate concentrations. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, red blood cell folate concentrations were lower in children in the BLL tertile 2 (β-coefficient = -0.0450; 95% CI: -0.0676, -0.0224) and BLL tertile 3 groups (β-coefficient = -0.0775; 95% CI: -0.1032, -0.0517) compared to children in the BLL tertile 1 group. When stratified by age, gender, and race/Hispanic origin, the subgroup analysis consistently revealed a negative relationship between BLLs and red blood cell folate concentrations, with red blood cell folate concentrations being lower (p < 0.05) in children in the BLL tertile 3 group compared to children in the tertile 1 group. Further investigation is needed to explore the mechanism underlying the potential relationship between BLLs and red blood cell folate concentrations and determine whether folate plays an active role beneficial for preventing the harmful effects of lead on children.
