title: High blood lead level in alcoholics: wine vs. beer.
abstract: One hundred and sixty one alcoholics (121 men and 40 women) were studied during a social rehabilitation program. All had a daily intake of ethanol higher than 1 g/kg/day. The mean lead blood level was 28 micrograms/100 ml and was as high as 72.5 micrograms/100 ml in one subject. Wine drinkers had a higher blood lead level (29.8 micrograms/100 ml) than beer or spirit drinkers (23.8 micrograms/100 ml). A significant correlation was found between the blood lead level and systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure and this relation was independent of sex, weight or age. We conclude that a high blood lead level can be a risk factor for hypertension in alcoholics.
authors.affiliation: Hopital F. Widal, Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dally
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Girre
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hispard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fournier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood*; D001515:Beer / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014920:Wine / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D007854:Lead