title: High mercury seafood consumption associated with fatigue at specialty medical clinics on Long Island, NY.
abstract: We investigated the association between seafood consumption and symptoms related to potential mercury toxicity in patients presenting to specialty medical clinics at Stony Brook Medical Center on Long Island, New York. We surveyed 118 patients from April-August 2012 about their seafood consumption patterns, specifically how frequently they were eating each type of fish, to assess mercury exposure. We also asked about symptoms associated with mercury toxicity including depression, fatigue, balance difficulties, or tingling around the mouth. Of the 118 adults surveyed, 14 consumed high mercury seafood (tuna steak, marlin, swordfish, or shark) at least weekly. This group was more likely to suffer from fatigue than other patients (p = 0.02). Logistic regression confirmed this association of fatigue with frequent high mercury fish consumption in both unadjusted analysis (OR = 5.53; 95% CI: 1.40-21.90) and analysis adjusted for age, race, sex, income, and clinic type (OR = 7.89; 95% CI: 1.63-38.15). No associations were observed between fish intake and depression, balance difficulties, or tingling around the mouth. Findings suggest that fatigue may be associated with eating high mercury fish but sample size is small. Larger studies are needed to determine whether fish intake patterns or blood mercury tests warrant consideration as part of the clinical work-up in coastal regions.
authors: Program in Public Health, Stony Brook University, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Shivam
authors: S
authors: Kothari
authors: Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Danielle
authors: D
authors: Kruse
authors: School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, NY 11794, United States; Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, United States.
authors: Roxanne
authors: R
authors: Karimi
authors: Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Silbernagel
authors: Department of Neurology, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Nurcan
authors: N
authors: Gursoy
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Raja
authors: R
authors: Jaber
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Roppelt
authors: Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Rina
authors: R
authors: Awan
authors: Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Avram
authors: A
authors: Gold
authors: Program in Public Health, Stony Brook University, NY 11794, United States; Department of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY 11794, United States.
authors: Jaymie R
authors: JR
authors: Meliker
keywords: Coastal population; FSS, Fatigue Severity Scale; Fish consumption; Hg, Mercury; MeHg, Organic mercury = methylmercury; Mercury exposure; Mercury toxicity; PHQ-9, Patient Health Questionnaire-9; Sleep medicine; USEPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency