Active and passive smoking and blood lead levels in U.S. adults: data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Lead is a component of tobacco and tobacco smoke. We examined the relationship between current, former, and passive smoking and blood lead levels in a nationally representative sample of 16,458 U.S. adults, aged 17 years or older, who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). We used linear and logistic regression modeling, adjusting for known covariates, to determine the relationship between smoking and blood lead levels. Geometric mean blood lead levels were 1.8 microg/dl, 2.1 microg/dl, and 2.3 microg/dl in never-smokers with no, low, and high cotinine levels, respectively. Levels were 2.9 microg/dl in former smokers and 3.5 microg/dl in current smokers. The adjusted linear regression model showed that geometric mean blood lead levels were 30% higher (95% CI = 24%-36%) in adults with high cotinine levels than they were in those with no detectable cotinine. Active and passive smoking is associated with increased blood lead levels in U.S. adults.
Mannino
David M
DM
University of Kentucky School of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA. dmannino@uky.edu
Homa
David M
DM
Matte
Thomas
T
Hernandez-Avila
Mauricio
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D020265:Lead Poisoning, Nervous System, Adult / Q000209:etiology; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D007854:Lead; D003367:Cotinine