Association of blood lead exposure with frailty and its components among the Chinese oldest old

Yuan Wei; Jinhui Zhou; Feng Zhao; Chen Chen; Jun Wang; Yufei Luo; Chenfeng Li; Jiahui Xiong; Yuebin Lv; Juan Li; Xiaoming Shi

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (Sep 2022)

Association of blood lead exposure with frailty and its components among the Chinese oldest old

Yuan Wei,
Jinhui Zhou,
Feng Zhao,
Chen Chen,
Jun Wang,
Yufei Luo,
Chenfeng Li,
Jiahui Xiong,
Yuebin Lv,
Juan Li,
Xiaoming Shi

Affiliations

Yuan Wei: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Department of Hygienic Inspection, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
Jinhui Zhou: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Feng Zhao: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Chen Chen: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Jun Wang: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Yufei Luo: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
Chenfeng Li: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
Jiahui Xiong: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
Yuebin Lv: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Juan Li: Department of Hygienic Inspection, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Correspondence to: Department of Hygienic Inspection, School of Public Health, Jilin University, 1163 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
Xiaoming Shi: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Correspondence to: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, #7 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang, Beijing 100021, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 242
p. 113959

Abstract

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Lead (Pb) is a widespread environmental contaminant, associated with a higher risk of functional impairment that can lead to frailty in older adults. However, few studies focused on the association of Pb exposure with frailty among the oldest old (aged ≥ 80 years). In this study, we aimed to assess the associations of Pb with frailty and its components in the oldest old. The included individuals were the oldest old aged ≥ 80 years who participated in a 2017 cross-sectional survey of the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study. Frailty was ascertained by the frailty index, which was created based on health deficits. We used logistic regression models to estimate the association of blood Pb with frailty and its components. The geometric mean and median of blood Pb were 38.51 μg/L and 36.27 μg/L among the oldest old, respectively. Compared with the first quartile of blood Pb, participants in the fourth quartile had higher risk of frailty and its components, the ORs are 1.71 (1.22–2.41), 1.99 (1.35–2.94), 1.91 (1.25–2.93), 1.57 (1.13–2.17) and 1.43 (1.05–1.96), for frailty, ADL disability, IADL disability, functional limitations, and hearing loss in the oldest old, respectively. There was a significant interaction between blood Pb and frailty in different age groups. In conclusion, our findings provide preliminary evidence that higher blood Pb may increase the risk of frailty among the oldest old by increasing the risk of disability in four physical functions: disability in ADL, disability in IADL, functional limitations, and hearing loss.

Published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

ISSN: 0147-6513 (Print); 1090-2414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Technology: Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering: Environmental pollution; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecotoxicology-and-environmental-safety

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