A retrospective analysis of blood-lead in mentally retarded children.
Blood-lead concentrations were measured retrospectively in the blood contained on cards used for testing for phenylketonuria in the first two weeks of life. Cards which belonged to 80 of a group of 77 children with mental retardation of unknown aetiology and 77 controls were identified. Of 77 usable cards, 41 were from mentally retarded children and 36 were from controls; 24 mental-retardation/control pairs were found. There was a highly significant trend towards higher blood-lead concentrations in the mentally retarded children. Water-lead concentrations in the maternal home during pregnancy correlated with blood-lead concentrations in the mentally retarded children. These results reinforce the probable association between lead exposure during pregnancy and the development of mental retardation of otherwise unknown aetiology.
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012606:Scotland; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D014881:Water Supply
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D007854:Lead