Lead's legacy? Early and late mortality of 454 lead-poisoned children

A series of 454 pediatric hospital patients who were diagnosed with lead poisoning between 1923 and 1966 were traced through 1991 to examine possible mortality effects. Numbers of observed deaths were compared with those expected, based on the rates of the U.S. population. Eighty-six deaths were observed (O/E = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.4-2.2), of which 17 were attributed to lead poisoning. Mortality from all cardiovascular disease was elevated (O/E = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.3-3.2), and cerebrovascular deaths were particularly common among women (O/E = 5.5, 95% CI = 1.1-15.9). Among men, 2 deaths resulted from pancreatic cancer (O/E = 10.2, 95% CI = 1.1-36.2), and 2 deaths resulted from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (O/E = 13.0, 95% CI = 1.5-46.9). Chronic nephritis was not a significant cause of death. Despite limitations in the data, the pattern of mortality suggests that effects of lead poisoning in childhood may persist throughout life and may be experienced differently by men and women.