Second-hand smoke exposure and blood lead levels in U.S. children.
BACKGROUND
Lead is a component of tobacco and tobacco smoke, and smokers have higher blood lead levels than do nonsmokers.


METHODS
We examined the relation between second-hand smoke exposure and blood lead levels in a nationally representative sample of 5592 U.S. children, age 4-16 years, who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). Linear and logistic regression modeling was used to adjust for known covariates.


RESULTS
Geometric mean blood lead levels were 1.5 mug/dL, 1.9 mug/dL, and 2.6 mug/dL for children with low, intermediate, and high cotinine levels, respectively. The adjusted linear regression model showed that geometric mean blood lead levels were 38% higher (95% confidence interval [CI] = 25-52%) in children with high cotinine levels compared with children who had low cotinine levels. The logistic regression models showed that children with high cotinine levels were more likely to have blood lead levels >/=10 mug/dL than were children with low cotinine levels (odds ratio [OR] = 4.4; CI = 1.9-10.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Second-hand smoke could be associated with increased blood lead levels in U.S. children aged 4-16 years.
Mannino
David M
DM
Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. dmannino@cdc.gov
Albalak
Rachel
R
Grosse
Scott
S
Repace
James
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D007854:Lead; D003367:Cotinine