Demographic Risk Factors Associated with Elevated Lead Levels in Texas Children Covered by Medicaid

Kurtin, Danna; Therrell, Bradford L.; Patterson, Patti J.

doi:10.2307/3433064

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…A gender difference, with males having higher blood lead levels than females, has been reported in numerous other studies both in the United States and elsewhere (Counter et al, 2001; Harlan, 1988; Kurtin et al, 1997; Moralez et al, 2005; Nriagu et al, 2006). Several possible explanations have been proposed, including increased skeletal mass in men resulting in increased body stores of lead and the higher concentration of red blood cells in men (a large percentage of lead is bound to these cells) (Nriagu et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Blood harmane, blood lead, and severity of hand tremor: Evidence of additive effects

Louis¹,

Factor-Litvak²,

Gerbin³

et al. 2011

NeuroToxicology

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Background-Tremor is a widespread phenomenon in human populations. Environmental factors are likely to play an etiological role. Harmane (1-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-β]indole) is a potent tremor-producing β-carboline alkaloid. Lead is another tremor-producing neurotoxicant. The effects of harmane and lead with respect to tremor have been studied in isolation.Objectives-We tested the hypothesis that tremor would be particularly severe among individuals who had high blood concentrations of both of these toxicants. The National Institutes of Health played no role in the study design, the collection of data, the analysis and interpretation of data, the writing of the paper or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. The authors were free to design, conduct, interpret, and publish research and this was not compromised by the National Institutes of Health.Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptNeurotoxicology. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2012 March 1. Methods-Blood concentrations of harmane and lead were each quantified in 257 individuals (106 essential tremor cases and 151 controls) enrolled in an environmental epidemiological study. Total tremor score (range = 0 -36) was a clinical measure of tremor severity.Results-The total tremor score ranged from 0 -36, indicating that a full spectrum of tremor severities was captured in our sample. Blood harmane concentration correlated with total tremor score (p = 0.007), as did blood lead concentration (p = 0.045). The total tremor score was lowest in participants with both low blood harmane and lead concentrations (8.4 ± 8.2), intermediate in participants with high concentrations of either toxicant (10.5 ± 9.8), and highest in participants with high concentrations of both toxicants (13.7 ± 10.4)(p = 0.01).Conclusions-Blood harmane and lead concentrations separately correlated with total tremor scores. Participants with high blood concentrations of both toxicants had the highest tremor scores, suggesting an additive effect of these toxicants on tremor severity. Given the very high population prevalence of tremor disorders, identifying environmental determinants is important for primary disease prevention.

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