title: Conceptual problems in establishing the critical concentration of cadmium in human kidney cortex.
abstract: The definition of the "critical concentration" for cadmium is compared with the concepts used to establish this measure in some recent publications. The term has not been clearly defined on a population basis and this has given rise to certain confusion. Different groups of investigators therefore have arrived at different estimates of the "critical concentration" for cadmium in human kidney cortex. A new measure, the "population critical concentration" (PCC) with a clearly defined response rate, is suggested. A reanalysis of the published data indicates that the PCC-10 (10% response rate) for cadmium in kidney cortex is likely to be in the range 180-220 micrograms/g and the PCC-50 is likely to be about 25% higher.
mesh_terms: D002105:Cadmium Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000139:chemically induced; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D003404:Creatinine