-
Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology 2022Stroke is the second largest cause of mortality (WHO 2014) and long-lasting disability worldwide. Many risk factors are associated with stroke, such as age, gender,...
BACKGROUND
Stroke is the second largest cause of mortality (WHO 2014) and long-lasting disability worldwide. Many risk factors are associated with stroke, such as age, gender, chronic illnesses, cardiovascular disease, lifestyle, and smoking. With global industrialization, the roles of environmental contaminants and their association with stroke are still unclear and have attracted much more attention.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We conducted a systematic review on the environmental toxic metal contaminants and the risk of ischemic stroke. A comprehensive literature search was carried out till June 30, 2021 from databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Embase, and Scopus. The quality of all the articles which met our inclusion criteria was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa scaling, and four eligible studies were included for our systematic review.
RESULTS
The serum and urine cadmium concentrations were positively associated with the risk of ischemic stroke. There was an inverse association of serum and urine concentrations of mercury (Hg), serum concentration of gold and cerium with ischemic stroke, and the serum and urine concentrations of lead (Pb) had no association with ischemic stroke risk.
CONCLUSION
The study showed strong associations between heavy metals and ischemic stroke, but more studies are required to prove the associations.
PubMed: 36911452
DOI: 10.4103/aian.aian_530_22 -
Annals of Global Health Nov 2018Stunting, a form of malnutrition characterized by impaired linear growth in the first two years of life, affects one quarter of children globally. While nutritional...
BACKGROUND
Stunting, a form of malnutrition characterized by impaired linear growth in the first two years of life, affects one quarter of children globally. While nutritional status remains the key cause of stunting, there is evidence that environmental risk factors are associated with stunting.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review is to explore the current literature and compile the environmental risk factors that have been associated with stunting. Further, we seek to discover which risk factors act independently of nutritional intake.
METHODS
A systematic search of the literature was performed using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, TOXNET, and CINAHL. A search of the grey literature was conducted. Papers were included in this review if they examined an association between childhood stunting and exposure to environmental risk factors.
FINDINGS
We included 71 reports in the final analysis. The included studies showed that foodborne mycotoxins, a lack of adequate sanitation, dirt floors in the home, poor quality cooking fuels, and inadequate local waste disposal are associated with an increased risk of childhood stunting. Access to safe water sources was studied in a large number of studies, but the results remain inconclusive due to inconsistent study findings. Limited studies were available for arsenic, mercury, and environmental tobacco, and thus their role in stunting remains inconclusive. The identified research did not control for nutritional intake. A causal model identified solid fuel use and foodborne mycotoxins as being environmental risk factors with the potential to have direct effects on childhood growth.
CONCLUSIONS
A diverse range of environmental risk factors are, to varying degrees, associated with stunting, demonstrating the importance of considering how the environment interacts with nutrition. Health promotion activities may be more effective if they consider environmental factors alongside nutritional interventions.
Topics: Child; Child Nutrition Disorders; Environmental Exposure; Global Health; Growth Disorders; Health Promotion; Humans; Nutritional Status; Risk Factors
PubMed: 30779500
DOI: 10.9204/aogh.2361 -
Environmental Research Oct 2017Environmental chemical exposures have been implicated in pediatric kidney disease. No appraisal of the available evidence has been conducted on this topic. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Environmental chemical exposures have been implicated in pediatric kidney disease. No appraisal of the available evidence has been conducted on this topic.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review of the epidemiologic studies that assessed association of environmental exposures with measures of kidney function and disease in pediatric populations. The search period went through July 2016.
RESULTS
We found 50 studies that met the search criteria and were included in this systematic review. Environmental exposures reviewed herein included lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, fluoride, aflatoxin, melamine, environmental tobacco, bisphenol A, dental procedures, phthalates, ferfluorooctanoic acid, triclosan, and thallium/uranium. Most studies assessed environmental chemical exposure via biomarkers but four studies assessed exposure via proximity to emission source. There was mixed evidence of association between metal exposures, and other non-metal environmental exposures and pediatric kidney disease and other kidney disease biomarkers. The evaluation of causality is hampered by the small numbers of studies for each type of environmental exposure, as well as lack of study quality and limited prospective evidence.
CONCLUSION
There is a need for well-designed epidemiologic studies of environmental chemical exposures and kidney disease outcomes.
Topics: Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants; Humans; Kidney; Kidney Diseases; Kidney Function Tests
PubMed: 28727988
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.06.029 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... May 2022The relationship between toxic metals in the environment and clinical stroke risk remains unclear, although their role as immunotoxicants and carcinogens has been well... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The relationship between toxic metals in the environment and clinical stroke risk remains unclear, although their role as immunotoxicants and carcinogens has been well established. We conducted a systematic review of the relationship between five metals (arsenic, mercury, copper, cadmium, and lead) and stroke. First, we comprehensively searched 3 databases (Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane) from inception until June 2021. Random-effects meta-analyses, pooled relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were applied to evaluate the effect value. We finally identified 38 studies involving 642,014 non-overlapping participants. Comparing the highest vs. lowest baseline levels, chronic exposure to lead (RR = 1.07; 95%CI,1.00-1.14), cadmium (RR = 1.30; 95%CI,1.13-1.48), and copper (RR = 1.19; 95%CI,1.04-1.36) were significantly associated with stroke risks. However, the other two metals (arsenic and mercury) had less effect on stroke risk. Further analysis indicated that the association was likely in a metal dose-dependent manner. The results may further support the possibility that environmental toxic metal contaminants in recent years are associated with the increased risk of stroke.
Topics: Arsenic; Cadmium; Copper; Heavy Metal Poisoning; Humans; Lead; Mercury; Stroke
PubMed: 35190994
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18866-z -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Jan 2021Four most concerned heavy metal pollutants, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury may share common mechanisms to induce metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, recent studies... (Review)
Review
Four most concerned heavy metal pollutants, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury may share common mechanisms to induce metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, recent studies exploring the relationships between MetS and metal exposure presented inconsistent findings. We aimed to clarify the relationship between heavy metal exposure biomarkers and MetS using a meta-analysis and systematic review approach. Literature search was conducted in international and the Chinese national databases up to June 2020. Of selected studies, we extracted the relevant data and evaluated the quality of each study's methodology. We then calculated the pooled effect sizes (ESs), standardized mean differences (SMDs), and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effect meta-analysis approach followed by stratification analyses for control of potential confounders. Involving 55,536 participants, the included 22 articles covered 52 observational studies reporting ESs and/or metal concentrations on specific metal and gender. Our results show that participants with MetS had significantly higher levels of heavy metal exposure [pooled ES = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.23; n = 42, heterogeneity I = 75.6%; and SMD = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.29; n = 32, I = 94.2%] than those without MetS. Pooled ESs in the subgroups stratified by arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury were 1.04 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.10; n = 8, I = 61.0%), 1.10 (0.95, 1.27; 11, 45.0%), 1.21 (1.00, 1.48; 12, 82.9%), and 1.26 (1.06, 1.48; 11, 67.7%), respectively. Pooled ESs in the subgroups stratified by blood, urine, and the other specimen were 1.22 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.38; n = 26, I = 75.8%), 1.06 (1.00, 1.13; 14, 58.1%), and 2.41 (1.30, 4.43; 2, 0.0%), respectively. In conclusion, heavy metal exposure was positively associated with MetS. Further studies are warranted to examine the effects of individual metals and their interaction on the relationship between MetS and heavy metals.
PubMed: 33486246
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116480 -
Critical Reviews in Toxicology Nov 2017Elemental mercury (Hg) is a well-recognized neurotoxicant, but it is uncertain whether and for how long its neurotoxicity persists. Among studies that evaluated... (Review)
Review
Elemental mercury (Hg) is a well-recognized neurotoxicant, but it is uncertain whether and for how long its neurotoxicity persists. Among studies that evaluated previously-exposed workers, only one examined workers during and also years after exposure had ceased. The objective of this review is to create a series of 'synthetic' longitudinal studies to address the question of persistence of Hg neurotoxicity in occupationally exposed workers. We systematically reviewed studies describing objective motor and sensory effects in previously-exposed mercury workers. Data from physical examination (PE), neurobehavioral (NB) tests, and electrophysiological studies (EPS) were extracted into structured tables and examined for their consistency and dose-relatedness and then compared with the corresponding results from studies of currently exposed workers. We identified six cohorts that described neurological findings in 1299 workers, examined an average of 4.8-30 years after the cessation of exposure. Historical group mean U levels ranged from 23 to >500 μg/L, with U levels >6000 μg/L in some individuals. Overall, few findings were significant; most were inconsistent across the previous-exposure studies, and in comparisons between studies of previously and currently exposed workers. The results of this systematic review indicate that Hg-related neurotoxic effects detectable on PE, NB testing, and EPS are substantially reversed over time. To the extent that such effects do persist, they are reported principally in workers who have had very high-dose exposures. In addition, based on the limited available data, those effects reported to persist have been described as having little or no functional significance.
Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Humans; Mercury; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 28722535
DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2017.1342599 -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2022Gold is one of the most valuable materials but is frequently extracted under circumstances that are hazardous to artisanal and small-scale gold miners' health. A common... (Review)
Review
Gold is one of the most valuable materials but is frequently extracted under circumstances that are hazardous to artisanal and small-scale gold miners' health. A common gold extraction method uses liquid mercury, leading to a high exposure in workers. Therefore, a systematic review according to the PRISMA criteria was conducted in order to examine the health effects of occupational mercury exposure. Researching the databases PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science yielded in a total of 10,589 results, which were screened by two independent reviewers. We included 19 studies in this review. According to the quantitative assessment, occupational mercury exposure may cause a great variety of signs and symptoms, in particular in the field of neuro-psychological disorders, such as ataxia, tremor or memory problems. However, many reported symptoms were largely unspecific, such as hair loss or pain. Most of the included studies had a low methodological quality with an overall high risk of bias rating. The results demonstrate that occupational mercury exposure seriously affects miners' health and well-being.
Topics: Gold; Humans; Mercury; Miners; Mining; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 35206270
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042081 -
European Journal of Pediatrics Jan 2022With the progressive elimination of mercury column devices for blood pressure (BP) measurement in children and adolescents, valid alternatives are needed. Oscillometric... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Blood pressure measurement in pediatric population: comparison between automated oscillometric devices and mercury sphygmomanometers-a systematic review and meta-analysis.
With the progressive elimination of mercury column devices for blood pressure (BP) measurement in children and adolescents, valid alternatives are needed. Oscillometric devices provide a replacement without mercury, are fully automated, and have excellent reliability among evaluators. Here, the goal was to test the accuracy of automatic blood pressure monitor devices compared to the mercury sphygmomanometer for BP measurement in children and adolescents. Electronic databases are EMBASE, MEDLINE (PubMed), SCOPUS, and Web of Science. We selected 8974 potentially eligible articles and two authors independently. We separately reviewed 370 full papers. Potentially eligible articles were selected according to the following criteria: (a) articles published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish; (b) screening of titles; (c) screening of abstracts; and (d) retrieval and screening of the full article to determine whether it met the inclusion criteria. We included 45 articles for analysis, 28 of which were selected for meta-analysis. The systolic BP measured by automatic blood pressure monitors presents 1.17 mmHg on average (95% CI 0.85; 1.48); for diastolic BP, it produced -0.08 mmHg (95% CI -0.69; 0.54) compared with a mercury sphygmomanometer. There is high heterogeneity between studies (> 90%) in the meta-analysis, partly explained by the device model, study environment, and observer training. Only articles that reported BP measurement by both methods were included.Conclusion: Automatic blood pressure monitors have strong measurement validity when compared with the mercury column. Thus, these can be safely used in blood pressure measurements of children and adolescents in clinical and epidemiological studies. What is Known: •The "gold standard" for indirect BP measurement is the mercury sphygmomanometer. •The accuracy of the automatic device is critical to any blood pressure measurement method. What is New: •Oscillometric or automatic devices can be a suitable alternative to auscultation for initial screening, consistent with current pediatric guidelines. •The automatic devices compared to the mercury column have a good validity of measurements, which can be used in blood pressure measurements of children and adolescents in clinical and epidemiological settings, provided that international protocols are followed.
Topics: Adolescent; Blood Pressure; Blood Pressure Determination; Blood Pressure Monitors; Child; Humans; Hypertension; Mercury; Reproducibility of Results; Sphygmomanometers
PubMed: 34272985
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04171-3 -
Journal of Environmental Sciences... Oct 2019Mercury is an important pollutant, released into aquatic ecosystems both naturally and by anthropogenic action. This element is transferred to aquatic organisms in...
Mercury is an important pollutant, released into aquatic ecosystems both naturally and by anthropogenic action. This element is transferred to aquatic organisms in different ways, causing potential health risks. In addition, mercury can be accumulated by humans, especially through the consumption of contaminated food. This systematic review aims to present mercury pathways, the major routes through which this element reaches the aquatic environment and its transformations until becoming available to living animals, leading to bioaccumulation and biomagnification phenomena. The key biotic and abiotic factors affecting such processes, the impact of mercury on animal and human health and the issue of seafood consumption as a source of chronic mercury contamination are also addressed. A total of 101 articles were retrieved from a standardized search on three databases (PubMed, Emabse, and Web of Science), in addition to 28 other studies not found on these databases but considered fundamental to this review (totaling 129 articles). Both biotic and abiotic factors display fundamental importance in mediating mercurial dynamics, i.e., muscle tropism, and salinity, respectively. Consequently, mercurial contamination in aquatic environments affects animal health, especially the risk of extinction species and also on human health, with methylmercury the main mercury species responsible for acute and chronic symptomatology.
Topics: Animals; Aquatic Organisms; Environmental Pollutants; Humans; Mercury; Methylmercury Compounds; Risk Assessment; Seafood
PubMed: 31284912
DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2019.02.018 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Feb 2023Anthropogenic activities contribute to nearly half of current Hg emissions to the atmosphere. In the marine habitat, oceanic predator fishes bioaccumulate Hg throughout... (Review)
Review
Anthropogenic activities contribute to nearly half of current Hg emissions to the atmosphere. In the marine habitat, oceanic predator fishes bioaccumulate Hg throughout their lives, making their consumption the main route of Hg exposure in humans. In this context, several publications, between 1973 and 2022, were selected, analyzed, and duly compiled, with the objective to investigate Hg contamination in nine species of bony fish: Thunnus thynnus (8 publications), Thunnus albacares (19), Thunnus obesus (7), Thunnus atlanticus (5), Thunnus alalunga (4), Katsuwonus pelamis (8), Xiphias gladius (18), Coryphaena hippurus (7) and Euthynnus alletteratus (4), as well as two species of cartilaginous fishes Prionace glauca (13 publications) and Isurus oxyrinchus (8). These studies totaled 5973 individuals. We classified species according to taxonomic groups and region of capture and found a significant difference between sharks and bony fishes, with higher Hg concentrations in sharks. The regions of occurrence were divided into 4 large areas (North Atlantic - NAO, South Atlantic - SAO, Equatorial Atlantic Ocean - EAO, and Mediterranean - MED), but no significant differences were observed when comparing the overall Hg concentrations in fish among regions (including all species). Additionally, a thorough discussion of the risks associated with human consumption of these species was conducted, as nine of the selected species presented individuals with Hg concentration values that exceeded the safety limits (1 ppm) set by health agencies worldwide.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mercury; Sharks; Tuna; Oceans and Seas; Fishes
PubMed: 36509349
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120821