title: Association of blood heavy metals with developmental delays and health status in children.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of blood lead, mercury, and cadmium concentrations with developmental delays and to explore the association of these concentrations with the health status of children. This study recruited 89 children with developmental delays and 89 age- and sex-matched children with typical development. Their health status was evaluated using the Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) Inventory for health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument for function. Family function was also evaluated. Blood lead, mercury, and cadmium concentrations were measured using inductively coupled mass spectrometry. The children with developmental delays had a considerably poorer HRQOL, lower functional performance and family function, and a higher blood lead concentration than those with typical development. The blood lead concentration had a significantly positive association with developmental delays [odds ratio (OR) = 1.54, p < 0.01] in a dose-response manner, and it negatively correlated with PedsQL scores (regression coefficient: -0. 47 to -0.53, p < 0.05) in all the children studied. The higher blood cadmium concentration showed a significantly positive association with developmental delays (OR = 2.24, for >1.0 μg/L vs. <0.6 μg/L, p < 0.05). The blood mercury concentration was not associated with developmental delays and health status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ssu-Ning
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Horng-Sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Shiue
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shiau-Rung
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Chi
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ru-Lan
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood*; D009035:Mothers; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury