title: Surveillance of childhood blood lead levels in Chengdu, China in 2010-2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lead poisoning has been receiving great attention around the world. The Child Hygiene Cooperation Center of the World Health Organization in China has been conducting investigations to monitor blood lead levels (BLLs) from as early as 2004. However, only several lead poisoning studies have been conducted in China since August 2009. The aim of the present study was to investigate the BLLs in children aged < 7 years and to analyse the risk factors of high BLLs in Chengdu, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were distributed to children in Chengdu from 2010 to 2011. A total of 2,271 children were included in this study - 1,157 received BLL tests in 2010 and the remaining received the tests in 2011. BLL was measured using a tungsten atomiser absorption spectrophotometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean BLL of the 2,271 children was 6.2 µg/dL and 2.03% of the children had BLLs ≥ 10 µg/dL. Mean BLL seemed to increase with age. Unhygienic habits (e.g. not washing hands frequently, biting of toys and pencils), history of pica, use of coal and residence in an industrial zone were found to be the main risk factors contributing to high BLL (p < 0.05). Children with high BLLs have a higher risk of manifesting anorexia and/or abdominal pain as compared to those with low BLLs (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean BLL of children in Chengdu (i.e. 6.2 µg/dL) was found to be higher than that of children in developed countries. Childhood lead poisoning remains a public health problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Central Hospital of Zibo, Zibo, Shandong, China ; Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Xue Zhong
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Yong Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: China; blood lead level; children; lead poisoning; risk factor