title: Blood lead determinants and the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in firearm users in Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify blood lead predictors and the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in firearm users of public security in Mexico.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed on 65 males. We obtained socio-occupational data and determined venous blood lead (blood (B), lead (Pb) - BPb), as well as neuropsychiatric symptoms using the Q-16 questionnaire. A multiple linear regression model was constructed to assess determinants of BPb.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age in the study group was 34.8 years (standard deviation (SD) = 6.9, range: 21-60); the mean number of years spent in the company amounted to 14 years (SD = 8.5, range: 1-48). Twenty percent of the respondents (N = 13) used leaded glazed clay pottery (lead (Pb), glazed (G), and clay pottery (C) - PbGC) in the kitchen. During practice they fired a mean of 72 shots (SD = 60, range: 20-250), and during their whole duration of employment 5483 shots (SD = 8322.5, range: 200-50 000). The mean BPb was 7.6 μg/dl (SD = 6.8, range: 2.7-51.7). Two caretakers from the firing range had 29.6 μg/dl and 51.7 μg/dl BPb. The subjects who had shooting practice sessions ≥ 12 times a year reported a greater percentage of miscarriages in their partners (24% vs. 0%). Twelve percent of the respondents showed an increase in neuropsychiatric symptoms. The BPb multiple linear regression model explained R2 = 44.15%, as follows: those who had ≥ 12 practice sessions per year - β = 0.5339 and those who used PbGC - β = 0.3651.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using firearms and PbGC contributes to the increased BPb in the studied personnel. The determinants of BPb were: shooting practices >12 times a year and using PbGC. Blood lead concentrations reported in the study, despite being low, are a health risk, as evidenced by the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Mexican Institute of Social Security, 21st Century National Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico (Occupational Health Research Unit). gpeaguilarm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aguilar Madrid
authors.affiliation: Mexican Institute of Social Security, 21st Century National Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico (Occupational Health Research Unit).
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Téllez-Cárdenas
authors.affiliation: Mexican Institute of Social Security, 21st Century National Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico (Occupational Health Research Unit). carturojp@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cuauhtémoc Arturo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Juárez-Pérez
authors.affiliation: National Autonomus University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico (Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine). luisharo2@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Luis Cuauhtémoc
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Haro-García
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mercado-García
authors.affiliation: Mexican Institute of Social Security, 21st Century National Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico (Occupational Health Research Unit). rodrigogopar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gopar-Nieto
authors.affiliation: Mexican Institute of Social Security, 21st Century National Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico (Occupational Health Research Unit). alejandrocabellolopez@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabello-López
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: blood lead; firearms; heavy metal toxicity; lead exposure; neuropsychiatric symptoms; occupational exposure