Air Quality Criteria for Lead Volume II of II - (NEPIS)(EPA) - US ...

AX6-258
Table AX6-9.10. Effects of Lead on Ocular Health in Children and Adults
Reference, Study
Location, and Period Study Description Pb Measurement Findings, Interpretation
Children
Latin America
Rothenberg et al.
(2002b)
Mexico
1987–1997
Adults
United States
Schaumberg et al.
(2004)
Massachusetts
1991–2002
Design = longitudinal (subset of prospective)
Subjects: children (n = 45, 24 female), ages
7–10 yr
Outcome measures: ERG
Analysis: comparison of outcome measures
between blood Pb tertiles (ANOVA for
repeated measures)
Design = longitudinal (subset of Normative
Aging Study)
Subjects: adult male (n = 642), mean age
69 yr (range 60–93)
Outcome measures: cataract diagnosis
Analysis: multivariate logistic regression,
odds ratio (vs. 1st quintile)
Blood Pb (:g/dL) median
(range) at 85–124 mo:
1st tertile: 4.0 (2.0–4.5)
2nd tertile: 6.0 (5.0–6.5)
3rd tertile: 7.5 (7.0–16.0)
Blood Pb (:g/dL) median
(range), maternal at 12 wk
of gestation:
1st tertile: 4.0 (2.0–5.5)
2nd tertile: 8.5 (6.0–10.0)
3rd tertile: 14.0 (10.5–
32.5)
Blood Pb (:g/dL) median
(range):
5 (0–35)
Bone Pb (:g/g) median
(range):
Patella : 29 (0–165)
Tibia: 20 (0–126)
Significant association between increasing maternal blood Pb at
12 wk of gestation and increasing ERG a-wave (p = 0.025) and bwave
amplitude (p = 0.007), with significant increases in a-wave in
the 2nd blood Pb tertile (6.0–10.0 :g/dL), and a-wave and b-wave in
the 3rd blood Pb tertile (10.5–32.5 :g/dL), compared to the 1st blood
Pb tertile.
Significant covariate adjusted odds ratio (OR) for cataracts in 5th
tibia bone Pb quintile (31.0–125 :g/g), OR = 3.19 (95% CI: 1.48,
6.90), p = 0.01. OR for cataracts were not significantly associated
with patella bone Pb (5th quintile: 43.0–165 :g/g), OR = 1.88 (95%
CI: 0.88, 4.02), or blood Pb (5th quintile: 8.17–35.0 :g/dL), OR =
0.89 (95% CI: 0.46, 1.72).
Covariates retained: age, smoking, history of diabetes, daily intake
of vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids.