A Positive Relationship between Exposure to Heavy Metals and Development of Chronic Diseases: A Case Study from Chile

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Sandra Cortés¹  Muriel Ramírez-Santana²  Héctor Adaros³  Liliana Zúñiga-Venegas⁴  Luis Muñoz⁵  Floria Pancetti⁶  Alejandra Covarrubias⁶ 

[1] Departamento de Salud Pública. Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330077, Chile;Departamento de Salud Pública. Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile;Hospital Dr. Jerónimo Méndez, Chañaral, Chañaral 1490000, Chile;Laboratorio de Investigaciones Biomédicas (LIB), Departamento de Preclínicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3480005, Chile;Laboratorio de Metrología Química, Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear, Santiago 7600713, Chile;Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología Ambiental, Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo N° 1281, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile;

关键词: metabolic disorders;    metal exposure;    glycemia;    cholesterol;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph18041419

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Chile is a mining country, where waste mining is frequently found in the vicinity of inhabited areas. To explore the association between metal exposure and alterations in glucose metabolism, inflammatory status, and oxidative stress in individuals with chronic exposure to metals, a cross-sectional study was performed with 25 volunteers, between 45–65 years old. Inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure urinary levels of total arsenic (As) and its metabolites, cooper, nickel, chromium, and lead. Lipid profile, glucose, and insulin were measured in blood, as well as inflammation (interleukin-6, IL-6) and oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2′deoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG) markers. Increased levels of Low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoproteins, cholesterol and 8-OHdG, and the index for homeostasis model assessment—insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were observed in 72%, 60%, and 56% of the volunteers, respectively. Blood-glucose levels were correlated with dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) (R² = 0.47, p = 0.019), inorganic As (As_i) (R² = 0.40, p = 0.012), and Ni (R² = 0.56; p = 0.044). The models with these compounds explained 72% of the glycemia variability (β_DMA = −6.47; β_Asi = 6.68; β_Ni = 6.87). Ni showed a significantly influence on IL-6 variability (β = 0.85: R² = 0.36). Changes in glycemia could be related to exposure to low levels of As_i and Ni, representing risk factors for metabolic diseases. Body mass index would confuse the relation between IL-6 and Ni levels, probably due to known chronic inflammation present in obese people.

【 授权许可】

Unknown