title: Sex differences in the relationship between blood mercury concentration and metabolic syndrome risk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mercury exposure enhances free radical production and reduces activity of anti-oxidant enzymes, resulting in detrimental health effects. Some researchers have reported an association between blood mercury and increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, sex differences in the relationship were not fully considered.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the sex differences in the relationship between blood mercury concentration and the increased risk of MetS in Korean men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship between blood mercury concentration and MetS in 2,976 men and 3,074 women over 19 years of age (aged 19-87 years), using data from the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-V). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between blood mercury concentration and the prevalence risk of MetS after adjusting for confounding variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the lowest quartile of blood mercury concentration, the OR (95 % CI) for MetS of the highest quartile in men was 1.62 (1.15-2.28) after adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, and BMI. Similarly, in multiple logistic regression analysis using log2-transformed blood mercury as a continuous variable, the OR (95 % CI) for having MetS with doubling of blood mercury was 1.20 (1.05-1.36) after adjusting for the same co-variables. However, the relationship was not observed in women after adjusting for the same co-variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood mercury concentration was independently associated with an increased risk of MetS in men.
authors: Department of Family Medicine, Seoul Red Cross Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ji-Youn
authors: JY
authors: Chung
authors: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-720, Korea.|Yonsei University Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Min-Seok
authors: MS
authors: Seo
authors: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-720, Korea.
authors: Jae-Yong
authors: JY
authors: Shim
authors: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-720, Korea. ukyjhome@yuhs.ac.
authors: Yong-Jae
authors: YJ
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000379:methods; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Mercury; Metabolic syndrome; Oxidative stress; Sex differences