Oral supplementation with NaFeEDTA reduces blood lead in postmenopausal but not premenopausal Korean women with anemia.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to evaluate the effect of iron supplementation for 6 mo on blood lead (PbB) concentration in populations of premenopausal (PRE-M) and postmenopausal (POST-M) Korean women.


METHODS
We conducted a community intervention trial in Asan, Republic of Korea. Of the 137 enrolled women with hemoglobin (Hb) levels lower than 12 g/dL, 37 were PRE-M and 100 were POST-M. Each woman received the equivalent of 9 mg of supplemental iron per day in the form of sodium-iron ethylene-diaminetetra-acetic acid (NaFeEDTA) syrup for a period of 6 mo.


RESULTS
The initial PbB concentrations were 2.56 +/- 0.99 microg/dL (mean +/- SD) for the PRE-M women and 3.27 +/- 1.24 microg/dL for the POST-M women. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). After 6 mo of NaFeEDTA supplementation, the PbB concentration decreased in the POST-M group but no change was observed in the PRE-M group. When age and baseline Hb levels were adjusted for, PbB concentrations decreased by 0.10 and 0.31 microg/dL in the PRE-M and POST-M groups, respectively, and the results were significant using a multivariate model (P = 0.016). Iron status determined by zinc protoporphyrin, transferrin saturation, and Hb improved significantly in both groups, but serum ferritin decreased significantly in the POST-M women (P < 0.001), with no change in the PRE-M group.


CONCLUSIONS
After 6 mo of supplementation with the equivalent of 9 mg of iron/d in the form of NaFeEDTA, the PbB concentrations in Korean women with anemia appeared to depend on their menopausal status.
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Soonchunhyang University, Choongnam, Republic of Korea.
Hee-Seon
HS
Kim
Min-Kyoung
MK
Kim
Byung-Kook
BK
Lee
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000378:metabolism
D005290:Ferric Compounds; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D011524:Protoporphyrins; C017803:zinc protoporphyrin; D007854:Lead; D005293:Ferritins; D004492:Edetic Acid; D007501:Iron; C019179:Fe(III)-EDTA