Lead exposure tied to increased risk of CVD mortality: JAHA
USA: Research published in the JAHA (Journal of the American Heart Association) has again underlined cardiovascular risks linked with environmental exposure to heavy metals (lead) and the lack of treatment options.
Findings from the prospective Strong Heart Study (SHS) showed that higher epigenetic biomarkers levels of lead exposure estimated in blood and tibia (reflecting cumulative exposure) were tied to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality."Our findings support that epigenetic biomarker of lead exposure may reflect some of the disease risk associated with the lead exposure," Wil Lieberman‐Cribbin and colleagues wrote in their study.
Lead is a cardiotoxic metal which is linked with several health effects. The researchers leveraged novel epigenetic biomarkers of lead exposure to examine their association with the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Without data on bone lead exposure, epigenetic biomarkers can indicate cumulative lead exposure and body burden.
Mortality data and incidence of CVD were available through 2017. For this purpose, the researchers measured Blood DNA methylation using the Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChip in 2231 participants of the SHS at baseline (1989–1991). They estimated epigenetic biomarkers of lead levels in the patella, blood, and tibia using previously identified cytosine‐guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites. Median concentrations of lead epigenetic biomarkers in the patella, tibia, and blood were 21.3 μg/g, 13.8 μg/g, and 2.9 μg/dL, respectively.
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