Venkata Raghava Mohan1, Srujan Sharma, Karthikeyan Ramanujam, Sudhir Babji, Beena Koshy, Joseph Dian Bondu, Sushil Mathew John, Gagandeep Kang. 1. Departments of Community Health, # Surgery, $ Gastrointestinal Sciences, ^Developmental Pediatrics, ** Clinical Biochemistry and *Low Cost Effective Care Unit, Christian Medical College, Vellore. Tamil Nadu. Correspondence to: Dr Venkata Raghava Mohan, Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632 002, Tamil Nadu, India. venkat@cmcvellore.ac.in.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study the burden and associated risk factors for elevated blood lead levels among pre-school children (15-24 months) in urban Vellore, and to study its effects on child cognition and anemia. DESIGN: An investigative study through Mal-ED cohort. SETTING: Eight adjacent urban slums in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. PARTICIPANTS: 251 babies recruited through Mal-ED Network. OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood lead levels using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry method at 15 and 24 mo; hemoglobin estimation by azidemethemoglobin method; cognitive levels using Bayley Scales of Infant Development III. RESULTS: Around 45% of children at 15 months and 46.4% at 24 months had elevated blood lead levels (>10 µg/dL). Among children who had elevated blood lead levels at 15 months, 69.2% (45/65) continued to have elevated levels at 24 months. After adjusting for potential confounders, children from houses having a piped drinking water supply and houses with mud or clay floors were at significantly higher risk of having elevated blood lead levels at 15 months. Thirty one percent (21/67) of the children with elevated blood lead levels had poor cognitive scores. Children with elevated blood lead levels at 15 months had higher risk (Adjusted OR 1.80; 95% CI 0.80 - 3.99) of having poorer cognitive scores at 24 months. More than half of the children (57%) were anemic at 15 months of age, and elevated blood lead levels were not significantly associated with anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated blood lead levels are common among preschool children living in urban slums of Vellore. Poorer conditions of the living environment are associated with elevated lead levels.
OBJECTIVE: To study the burden and associated risk factors for elevated blood lead levels among pre-school children (15-24 months) in urban Vellore, and to study its effects on child cognition and anemia. DESIGN: An investigative study through Mal-ED cohort. SETTING: Eight adjacent urban slums in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. PARTICIPANTS: 251 babies recruited through Mal-ED Network. OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood lead levels using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry method at 15 and 24 mo; hemoglobin estimation by azidemethemoglobin method; cognitive levels using Bayley Scales of Infant Development III. RESULTS: Around 45% of children at 15 months and 46.4% at 24 months had elevated blood lead levels (>10 µg/dL). Among children who had elevated blood lead levels at 15 months, 69.2% (45/65) continued to have elevated levels at 24 months. After adjusting for potential confounders, children from houses having a piped drinking water supply and houses with mud or clay floors were at significantly higher risk of having elevated blood lead levels at 15 months. Thirty one percent (21/67) of the children with elevated blood lead levels had poor cognitive scores. Children with elevated blood lead levels at 15 months had higher risk (Adjusted OR 1.80; 95% CI 0.80 - 3.99) of having poorer cognitive scores at 24 months. More than half of the children (57%) were anemic at 15 months of age, and elevated blood lead levels were not significantly associated with anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated blood lead levels are common among preschool children living in urban slums of Vellore. Poorer conditions of the living environment are associated with elevated lead levels.
Authors: Mohammad H Rahbar; Maureen Samms-Vaughan; Aisha S Dickerson; Katherine A Loveland; Manouchehr Ardjomand-Hessabi; Jan Bressler; Sydonnie Shakespeare-Pellington; Megan L Grove; Eric Boerwinkle Journal: J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng Date: 2015 Impact factor: 2.269