title: Urinary mercury level in Japanese school children: influence of dental amalgam fillings and fish eating habits.
abstract: The influence of dental amalgam fillings and fish eating frequency on the urinary mercury (Hg) level was evaluated in 1642 children (ages: 3-18) living in Tokyo. Geometric mean of the urinary Hg level was 1.9 microgram Hg/l and 1.9 micrograms Hg/g creatinine (Cr) for boys and 2.1 micrograms Hg/l and 2.0 micrograms Hg/g Cr for girls. Multiple regression analysis was conducted using: (1) urinary Cr concentration (only in the case of urinary Hg expressed as microgram Hg/l); (2) age; (3) gender; (4) number of dental amalgam fillings; and (5) fish eating frequency as independent variables. As a result, all the variables examined were significant and the explanatory powers (square of multiple correlation coefficient) of these variables were 17 or 7% for urinary Hg expressed as microgram Hg/l or microgram Hg/g Cr, respectively. Number of dental amalgam fillings or fish eating frequency explained only up to 1.5% of the total variance of urinary Hg. Contribution of Cr concentration, age and gender to urinary Hg level is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hongo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine*; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000652:urine*; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D003723:Dental Amalgam; D003404:Creatinine; D008628:Mercury