Renal effects of cadmium body burden of the general population.
In a cross-sectional population study to assess whether environmental exposure to cadmium is associated with renal dysfunction, 1699 subjects aged 20-80 years were studied as a random sample of four areas of Belgium with varying degrees of cadmium pollution. After standardisation for several possible confounding factors, five variables (urinary excretion of retinol-binding protein, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, beta 2-microglobulin, aminoacids, and calcium) were significantly associated with the urinary excretion of cadmium (as a marker of cadmium body burden), suggesting the presence of tubular dysfunction. There was a 10% probability of values of these variables being abnormal when cadmium excretion exceeded 2-4 micrograms/24 h. Excretion reached this threshold in 10% of non-smokers. There was also evidence that diabetic patients may be more susceptible to the toxic effect of cadmium on the renal proximal tubule.
Buchet
J P
JP
Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine Unit, University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Lauwerys
R
R
Roels
H
H
Bernard
A
A
Bruaux
P
P
Claeys
F
F
Ducoffre
G
G
de Plaen
P
P
Staessen
J
J
Amery
A
A
D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000652:urine; D001530:Belgium; D001822:Body Burden; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D002118:Calcium / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000652:urine; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine
D000596:Amino Acids; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D002104:Cadmium; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase; D002118:Calcium