title: Lead absorption and psychological function in Zagreb (Croatia) school children.
abstract: A cross-sectional study was performed on 275 pupils from the third and fourth grade of three elementary schools (three urban areas with different traffic conditions) in Zagreb. Lead exposure was environmental, mostly through leaded gasoline. The difference in traffic density around the schools was consistent with biological indicators of lead absorption. The aim of the study was to clarify the relationship between characteristic biological indicators of lead absorption including indicators of hematological status with some psychological functions. Lead absorption in pupils was relatively low (mean blood lead: 70.8 +/- 17.88 microgram/L). Pupils' socio-economic status was evaluated by parents' education. The results obtained indicate that gender and school were associated with both biological and psychological variables. After adjusting for age, parental education, and gender, lead appears to have no association with cognitive or psycho-motor measures. The nonstandardized regression coefficients for blood lead-as a measure of the size of lead effect on VIQ, NIQ, and IQ-were -0.016, -0.031, and -0.025, respectively, all nonsignificant.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia. dsimic@imi.hr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prpíc-Majíc
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bobícc
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simícc
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: House
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jurasovícc
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pizent
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D007854:Lead