The relationship between air lead and blood lead in children: a critical review

A review is given of community studies from which the relationship between air lead and blood lead in children of varying ages can be estimated. The review covers nineteen different studies which were carried out in ten different countries. The blood lead/air lead relationship is denoted with the symbol "alpha'. It is concluded that for children, a wide range of alpha-values can be estimated from the data in the different studies. Most values center on 3-5 rather than the 1-2 which is usually reported from adults. However, adjustment for confounders has been absent or incomplete in most, if not all studies. Most alpha-estimates thus have to be viewed with caution.