title: Association between bone mineral density and blood lead level in menopausal women: analysis of 2008-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We present data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2009 on the association of blood lead levels with bone mineral density (BMD) in menopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional analysis was restricted to female participants ≥ 40 years of age who completed the health examination survey, including blood lead measurement and BMD (n=832). Menopausal status was categorized into pre- and postmenopausal. Postmenopausal status was further categorized into natural and surgical menopause. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to determine significant predictors of blood lead level among menopause- and BMD-related variables after adjustment for covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Premenopausal women had a geometric mean blood lead level of 2.000 μg/dL, compared with 2.274 μg/dL and 2.336 μg/dL for naturally and surgically menopausal women, respectively. The data suggested that menopausal status and BMD were predictors of blood lead level among women aged ≥ 40 years. BMD was significantly inversely associated with blood lead level in menopausal women after adjustment for covariates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found a significant inverse association between BMD and the blood lead level in menopausal women in a representative sample of Korean women. A few reports have shown an association between BMD and the blood lead level in Asian populations. This study suggests that postmenopausal bone mineral resorption is related to increased blood lead levels in menopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, Soonchunhyang University 646 Eupnae-ri, Shinchang-myun, Asan-si, Choongnam, 336-745 South Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Kook
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yangho
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D007854:Lead; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D