title: Effects of elevated blood lead levels in preschool children in urban Vellore.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the burden and associated risk factors for elevated blood lead levels among pre-school children (15-24 months) in urban Vellore, and to study its effects on child cognition and anemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  An investigative study through Mal-ED cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight adjacent urban slums in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.
  
  
  METHODS
  251 babies recruited through Mal-ED Network.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood lead levels using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry method at 15 and 24 mo; hemoglobin estimation by azidemethemoglobin method; cognitive levels using Bayley Scales of Infant Development III.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Around 45% of children at 15 months and 46.4% at 24 months had elevated blood lead levels (>10 µg/dL). Among children who had elevated blood lead levels at 15 months, 69.2% (45/65) continued to have elevated levels at 24 months. After adjusting for potential confounders, children from houses having a piped drinking water supply and houses with mud or clay floors were at significantly higher risk of having elevated blood lead levels at 15 months. Thirty one percent (21/67) of the children with elevated blood lead levels had poor cognitive scores. Children with elevated blood lead levels at 15 months had higher risk (Adjusted OR 1.80; 95% CI 0.80 - 3.99) of having poorer cognitive scores at 24 months. More than half of the children (57%) were anemic at 15 months of age, and elevated blood lead levels were not significantly associated with anemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated blood lead levels are common among preschool children living in urban slums of Vellore. Poorer conditions of the living environment are associated with elevated lead levels.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Community Health, # Surgery, $ Gastrointestinal Sciences, ^Developmental Pediatrics, ** Clinical Biochemistry and *Low Cost Effective Care Unit, Christian Medical College, Vellore. Tamil Nadu. Correspondence to: Dr Venkata Raghava Mohan, Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632 002, Tamil Nadu, India. venkat@cmcvellore.ac.in.
authors.forename: Venkata Raghava
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Srujan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Karthikeyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramanujam
authors.forename: Sudhir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babji
authors.forename: Beena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koshy
authors.forename: Joseph Dian
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bondu
authors.forename: Sushil Mathew
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Gagandeep
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D007854:Lead