title: Blood lead is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults: an analysis based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although an association between low-level environmental heavy metal exposure and the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MS) has been hypothesized, little research on this topic has been conducted on a population-wide level.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed MS status and whole blood lead, mercury, cadmium, manganese, and creatinine-adjusted urine arsenic concentrations in 1,405 subjects, ≥ 20 years of age, who were registered for the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Various demographic and biochemical parameters were associated with MS and blood heavy metal status. After adjusting for these variables, lead was the only heavy metal that was significantly associated with MS. Lead concentrations in subjects with MS were significantly higher than those in subjects without MS (p = 0.015). The prevalence of MS and a moderate/high risk for cardiovascular disease, as determined by Framingham risk score, also increased significantly according to the logarithmic transformation of the lead quartile (p < 0.001). The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for MS were 1.56 (0.90-2.71), 1.63 (0.94-2.83), and 2.57 (1.46-4.51) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of the log-transformed lead quartile, respectively, as compared with those of the lowest quartile after multiple adjustments for confounding factors. Serum triglyceride level was the only MS diagnostic component significantly associated with lead level in a multiple linear regression analysis (p = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that a higher prevalence of MS is associated with higher blood lead levels in the Korean population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemoon-gu, Seoul, 130-702, South Korea. jtwoomd@khmc.or.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Youl
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: You-Cheol
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jeong-taek
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Dong Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sinn
authors.forename: Sang Ouk
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Suk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chon
authors.forename: Young Seol
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001822:Body Burden; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead