Ethnic Kawasaki Disease Risk Associated with Blood Mercury and Cadmium in U.S. Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Marcelo Farina¹  Michael Aschner²  Michael A. Portman³  Kai-Sheng Hsieh⁴  Deniz Yeter⁴  Ho-Chang Kuo⁴  Wen-Ching Chan⁴ 

[1] Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina 88040, Brazil;Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA;Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98101, USA;Kawasaki Disease Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Niaosong, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan;

关键词: allergy;    autoimmunity;    infantile acrodynia;    Kawasaki disease;    mercury;    methylmercury;    pediatrics;    pollution;    seafood;    toxicology;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph13010101

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Kawasaki disease (KD) primarily affects children <5 years of age (75%–80%) and is currently the leading cause of acquired heart disease in developed nations. Even when residing in the West, East Asian children are 10 to 20 times more likely to develop KD. We hypothesized cultural variations influencing pediatric mercury (Hg) exposure from seafood consumption may mediate ethnic KD risk among children in the United States. Hospitalization rates of KD in US children aged 0–4 years (n = 10,880) and blood Hg levels in US children aged 1–5 years (n = 713) were determined using separate US federal datasets. Our cohort primarily presented with blood Hg levels <0.1 micrograms (µg) per kg bodyweight (96.5%) that are considered normal and subtoxic. Increased ethnic KD risk was significantly associated with both increasing levels and detection rates of blood Hg or cadmium (Cd) in a linear dose-responsive manner between ethnic African, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic children in the US (p ≤ 0.05). Increasing low-dose exposure to Hg or Cd may induce KD or contribute to its later development in susceptible children. However, our preliminary results require further replication in other ethnic populations, in addition to more in-depth examination of metal exposure and toxicokinetics.

【 授权许可】

Unknown