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Bone lead, hypertension, and lead nephropathy

Journal Article · · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.887857· OSTI ID:6393511

There is considerable clinical evidence that excessive lead absorption causes renal failure with hypertension and predisposes individuals to hypertension even in the absence of detectable renal failure. Recent analyses of transiliac bone biopsies indicate that unsuspected elevated bone leads may reflect the cause (or contributing cause) of end-stage renal disease in 5% of the European dialysis population. In these patients, bone lead levels were four times higher than in unexposed cadavers (6 micrograms/g wet weight) and approximated levels found in lead workers (30 micrograms/g). At present, the most reliable index of the body lead burden is the CaNa2 EDTA lead mobilization test. In vivo tibial X-ray-induced X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a more practical noninvasive technique for assessing bone lead, which should find widespread application as a diagnostic tool and for epidemiologic studies.

Research Organization:
VA Medical Center, East Orange, NJ (USA)
OSTI ID:
6393511
Journal Information:
Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 78; ISSN EVHPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English