J Bone Metab.  2016 Nov;23(4):223-231. 10.11005/jbm.2016.23.4.223.

Relationship between Heavy Metal Exposure and Bone Mineral Density in Korean Adult

• Lim HS
• Lee HH
• Kim TH
• Lee BR

• KMID: 2361584
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11005/jbm.2016.23.4.223

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Exposure to heavy metals from environmental and industrial sources remains a concern of serious public health risk. This study was conducted to analysis the relationship between heavy metal concentrations and bone density.
METHODS
This study used data from a nation-based sample of Koreans (n=2,429) from 2008 to 2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We were obtained heavy metals (lead, mercury and cadmium), socioeconomic and demographic factors and bone mineral density (BMD) measured by T-score.
RESULTS
Menopausal women, current smoker or the frequent alcohol drinking, low educational level and low family income were greater in the osteopenia or osteoporosis groups than normal group, and were associated with an increased blood heavy metal concentration levels. The highest quartile group in blood lead had a 1.47 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.87) risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis. In case of blood cadmium, the risk for osteopenia or osteoporosis increased 2.1 times (95% CI 1.64-2.68).
CONCLUSIONS
We observed a significant association between blood heavy metals (lead and cadmium) levels and low BMD. Our findings suggest that heavy metal exposure may be a risk factor for osteoporosis.

Keyword

Bone density; Cadmium; Lead; Mercury; Osteoporosis

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Alcohol Drinking
Bone Density*
Bone Diseases, Metabolic
Cadmium
Demography
Female
Humans
Korea
Metals, Heavy
Nutrition Surveys
Osteoporosis
Public Health
Risk Factors
Cadmium
Metals, Heavy

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Distribution of the concentration level of the blood heavy metal according to bone mineral density. *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001 there exists the significant difference compared with the normal group.

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