Comparative study between exposed and non exposed individuals to lead in relation to lipid profile

Abstract

An association between atherosclerosis and lead exposure is biologically plausible. It has been suggested that one of the underlying mechanisms in the association between cardiovascular damage and lead exposure is the induction or acceleration of atherosclerosis. Objective: was to find out the relation between occupational lead exposure and blood lead level on plasma lipid profile and to determine the extent of certain preclinical hazards of lead exposure such as blood pressure. Case comparison study was carried on 120 individuals, 60 of them with known occupational exposure to lead through their work in battery manufacturing factories while the other 60 were with no such exposure. Blood lead and serum lipid profile of the study group were measured in addition to blood pressure. Results showed that the majority of the workers (98.3%) were having blood lead level above 20µg/dl which is the toxic environmental level with (40.7%) above 40µg/dl which is the toxic occupational level. Similarly for the non exposed as (83.3%) were having blood lead level above 20µg/dl. Both mean serum triglyceride and high density lipoprotein were higher in the workers with p=0.01 and <0.001 respectively. While both mean serum low density lipoprotein and total cholesterol were higher in the non-exposed. Both mean serum total cholesterol and serum low density lipoprotein were higher in the 4th than in the 1st quartile with a p value =0.001 and moderate significant correlation coefficient r=0.49&0.5 respectively. Conversely, mean serum high density lipoprotein was higher in the 1st than in the 4th quartile with no statistical significance p=0.11 &r=0.23. Regarding mean serum triglyceride, it was higher in the 4th than in the 1st quartile with no statistical significance p=0.41&r=0.009.Both mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were rising with the rise in blood lead level with no statistical significance p=0.98&0.89 respectively and correlation coefficient r= 0.07& 0.034. Conclusion: showed that there is significant association between blood lead level and occupational exposure p=0.001. Total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein were affected by rise in blood lead level in workers p=0.001 while triglycerides and high density lipoprotein were not p=0.41 and 0.11 respectively. Meanwhile, mean triglycerides and high density lipoprotein were significantly higher in workers p=0.01 and <0.001respectively while mean low density lipoprotein was significantly higher in the non exposed p=<0.001. Mean total cholesterol was not affected p=0.38.