title: Urine uranium concentrations and renal function in residents of the United States--2001 to 2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animal model studies have demonstrated that subchronic oral uranium exposure is associated with renal dysfunction. Little is known about the effects of environmental exposure to uranium in humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether environmental exposure to uranium is associated with alterations in renal function among residents of the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2010. Inclusion criteria included the measurement of urine uranium concentration, serum creatinine (sCr), and urine albumin-creatinine ratio. Exclusion criteria included a reported history of diabetes mellitus. Urine uranium concentrations were normalized to urinary creatinine. Respondents with and without detectable urine uranium concentrations were compared using Welch's t-test for urine albumin-creatinine ratio and sCr and using Fisher's exact test for a reported history of renal disease. Regression analysis was performed to assess for an association between urine uranium concentration and urine albumin-creatinine ratio, sCr, or a reported history of renal disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Uranium was detectable in the urine of 74.1% (n = 9025) of respondents. Urine albumin-creatinine ratio was significantly greater in respondents with detectable urine uranium concentrations (mean 4.84 ± 45.8 mg/g) compared to respondents without detectable urine uranium concentrations (mean 0.77 ± 3.7 mg/g) (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups with respect to sCr or a reported history of renal disease. Regression analysis did not show a statistically significant association between urine uranium concentration and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (p = 0.45), sCr (p = 0.71), or a reported history of renal disease (p = 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, a high proportion of the U.S. population had exposure to uranium. We demonstrated an association between detectable urine uranium concentrations and microalbuminuria in residents of the United States but no association with clinical renal disease.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency Medicine , Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Jolene
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okaneku
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency Medicine , Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vearrier
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency Medicine , Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mckeever
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency Medicine , Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lasala
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency Medicine , Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Michael I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine*; D014481:United States; D014501:Uranium / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D014501:Uranium
keywords: Environmental; Heavy metals; Kidney