[en] Cadmium and lead are toxic to the kidney. Both metals are known to induce nephropathy in subjects with heavy exposure. Environmental exposure to cadmium is associated with renal tubular dysfunction, but few studies have attempted to evaluate the renal effects of environmental lead exposure. A weak positive correlation between serum creatinine and blood lead concentrations was found in men, but not women, in the British civil service. We investigated the relation between lead exposure and renal function in the general population, using data obtained during the Cadmibel (Cadmium in Belgium) Study. Lead exposure was estimated by measuring blood concentrations of lead and zinc protoporphyrin, which is increased in the presence of high lead levels.
Disciplines :
Urology & nephrology
Author, co-author :
Staessen, Jan; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Pathophysiology > Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Unit
Lauwerys, Robert; Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL > Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine Unit
Buchet, Jean-Pierre; Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL > Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine Unit
Bulpitt, Christopher; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Pathophysiology > Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Unit
Rondia, Désiré; Université de Liège - ULiège > Environmental Toxicology Unit
Vanrenterghem, Yves
Amery, Antoon; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Pathophysiology > Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Unit
Saint-Remy, Annie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Néphrologie
The Cadmibel Study Group
Language :
English
Title :
Impairment of renal function with increasing blood lead concentrations in the general population
Publication date :
16 July 1992
Journal title :
New England Journal of Medicine
ISSN :
0028-4793
eISSN :
1533-4406
Publisher :
Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham, United States - Massachusetts
Bernard A, Lauwerys R. Cadmium in human population. Experientia 1984; 40: 143–52.
Wedeen RP, Maesaka JK, Weiner B, et al. Occupational lead nephropathy. Am J Med 1975; 59: 630–41.
Buchet J-P, Lauwerys R, Roels H, et al. Renal effects of cadmium body burden of the general population. Lancet 1990; 336: 699–702.
Staessen J, Yeoman WB, Fletcher AE, et al. Blood lead concentration, renal function, and blood pressure in London civil servants. Br J Ind Med 1990; 47: 442–7.
Lauwerys R, Amery A, Bernard A, et al. Health effects of environmental exposure to cadmium: objectives, design and organization of the Cadmibel Study: a cross-sectional morbidity study carried out in Belgium from 1985 to 1989. Environ Health Perspect 1990; 87: 283–9.
Staessen J, Bulpitt CJ, Fagard R, Joossens JV, Lijnen P, Amery A. Salt intake and blood pressure in the general population: a controlled intervention trial in two towns. J Hypertens 1988; 6: 965–73.
Bartels H, Böhmer M. Eine Mikromethode zur Kreatininbestimmung. Clin Chim Acta 1971; 32: 81–5.
Bernard AM, Lauwerys RR. Continuous-flow system for automation of latex immunoassay by particle counting. Clin Chem 1983; 29: 1007–11.
Persijn JP, van der Silk W. A new method for the determination of γ-glutamyltransferase in serum. J Clin Chem Clin Biochem 1976; 14: 421–7.
Cockcroft DW, Gault MH. Prediction of creatinine clearance from serum creatinine. Nephron 1976; 16: 31–41.
Emmerson BT, Lecky DS. The lead content of bone in subjects without recognized past lead exposure and in patients with renal disease. Australas Ann Med 1963; 12: 139–42.
Campbell BC, Elliott HL, Meredith PA. Lead exposure and renal failure: does renal insufficiency influence lead kinetics? Toxicol Lett 1981; 9: 121–4.
Batuman V, Landy E, Maesaka JK, Wedeen RP. Contribution of lead to hypertension with renal impairment. N Engl J Med 1983; 309: 17–21.
Emmerson BT. Lead stores in patients with renal insufficiency. Nephron 1991; 58: 233–4.
Hilbrands LB, Artz MA, Wetzels JFM, Koene RAP. Cimetidine improves the reliability of creatinine as a marker of glomerular filtration. Kidney Int 1991; 40: 1171–6.
Staessen J, Sartor F, Roels H, et al. The association between blood pressure, calcium and other divalent cations: a population study. J Hum Hypertens 1991; 5: 485–94.
Chisolm JJ Jr. Aminoaciduria as a manifestation of renal tubular injury in lead intoxication and a comparison with patterns of aminoaciduria seen in other diseases. J Pediatr 1962; 60: 1–17.
Emmerson BT, Mirosch W. Douglas JB. The relative contributions of tubular reabsorption and secretion to urate excretion in lead nephropathy. Aust N Z J Med 1971; 1: 353–62.
Graziano JH, Slavkovic V, Factor-Litvak P, Popovac D, Ahmedi X, Mehmeti A. Depressed serum erythropoietin in pregnant women with elevated blood lead. Arch Environ Health 1991; 46: 347–50.
Cramer K, Goyer RA, Jagenburg R, Wilson MH. Renal ultrastructure, renal function, and parameters of lead toxicity in workers with different periods of lead exposure. Br J Ind Med 1974; 31: 113–27.
A review of the evidence relating to lead as an aetiological agent in chronic nephritis in Queensland. Med J Aust 1934; 1: 600–6.
Sharp DS, Becker CE, Smith AH. Chronic low-level lead exposure: its role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Med Toxicol 1987; 2: 210–32.
Buchet JP, Roels H, Bernard A, Lauwerys R. Assessment of renal function of workers exposed to inorganic lead, cadmium or mercury vapor. J Occup Med 1980; 22: 741–50.
Gerhardsson L, Chettle DR, Englyst V, et al. Kidney effects in long term exposed lead smelter workers. Br J Ind Med 1992; 49: 186–92.
Intersalt Cooperative Study Group. Intersalt: an international study of electrolyte excretion and blood pressure: results for 24 hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion. BMJ 1988; 297: 319–28.
Levey AS, Perrone RD, Madias NE. Serum creatinine and renal function. Annu Rev Med 1988; 39: 465–90.
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Air quality guidelines for Europe. WHO regional publications, European series no. 23. Copenhagen, Denmark: World Health Organization, 1987:242–61.
