title: Influence of mercury exposure on blood pressure, resting heart rate and heart rate variability in French Polynesians: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Populations which diet is rich in seafood are highly exposed to contaminants such as mercury, which could affect cardiovascular risk factors
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the associations between mercury and blood pressure (BP), resting heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) among French Polynesians
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected among 180 adults (≥ 18 years) and 101 teenagers (12-17 years). HRV was measured using a two-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram (Holter) and BP was measured using a standardized protocol. The association between mercury and HRV and BP parameters was studied using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) RESULTS: Among teenagers, the high frequency (HF) decreased between the 2nd and 3rd tertile (380 vs. 204 ms2, p = 0.03) and a similar pattern was observed for the square root of the mean squared differences of successive R-R intervals (rMSSD) (43 vs. 30 ms, p = 0.005) after adjusting for confounders. In addition, the ratio low/high frequency (LF/HF) increased between the 2nd and 3rd tertile (2.3 vs. 3.0, p = 0.04). Among adults, the standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDNN) tended to decrease between the 1st and 2nd tertile (84 vs. 75 ms, p = 0.069) after adjusting for confounders. Furthermore, diastolic BP tended to increase between the 2nd and 3rd tertile (86 vs. 91 mm Hg, p = 0.09). No significant difference was observed in resting HR or pulse pressure (PP) CONCLUSIONS: Mercury was associated with decreased HRV among French Polynesian teenagers while no significant association was observed with resting HR, BP, or PP among teenagers or adults.
authors.affiliation: Axe Santé des Populations et Environnement, Centre de Recherche du CHUQ, 2875 Boulevard Laurier, Québec G1V 2M2, Canada.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valera
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dewailly
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Counil
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suhas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011114:Polynesia; D012424:Rural Population; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium
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