Redefining Toxic Lead Levels Among Adults
Authors: Ashwini R. Sehgal
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2012)

Editorials21 August 2012Redefining Toxic Lead Levels Among AdultsAshwini R. Sehgal, MDAshwini R. Sehgal, MDFrom Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44109.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-157-4-201208210-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Because lead makes up a miniscule part of the earth's crust, humans evolved in an essentially unleaded environment. It was not until 5000 years ago that metallurgists figured out how to smelt lead and separate it from silver, its most valuable contaminant. Civilizations rose and fell depending on their access to silver-containing lead ore. Later recognition of lead's malleability and density led to myriad uses, including in weapons, weights, and plumbing. Moreover, lead in its carbonate form, which has a pure white color, was used extensively in pigments and paints (1). Unfortunately, lead is toxic, and the ancient Greeks and ...References1. Warren C. Brush with Death: A Social History of Lead Poisoning. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ Pr; 2000. Google Scholar2. Lanphear BP, Hornung R, Ho M, Howard CR, Eberly S, Knauf K, et al. Environmental lead exposure during early childhood. J Pediatr. 2002;140:40-7. [PMID: 11815762] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Lanphear BP, Hornung R, Khoury J, Yolton K, Baghurst P, Bellinger DC, et al. Low-level environmental lead exposure and children's intellectual function: an international pooled analysis. Environ Health Perspect. 2005;113:894-9. [PMID: 16002379] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Menke A, Muntner P, Batuman V, Silbergeld EK, Guallar E. Blood lead below 0.48 micromol/L (10 microg/dL) and mortality among US adults. Circulation. 2006;114:1388-94. [PMID: 16982939] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Shih RA, Hu H, Weisskopf MG, Schwartz BS. Cumulative lead dose and cognitive function in adults: a review of studies that measured both blood lead and bone lead. Environ Health Perspect. 2007;115:483-92. [PMID: 17431502] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Navas-Acien A, Guallar E, Silbergeld EK, Rothenberg SJ. Lead exposure and cardiovascular disease—a systematic review. Environ Health Perspect. 2007;115:472-82. [PMID: 17431501] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Krishnan E, Lingala B, Bhalla V. Low-level lead exposure and the prevalence of gout. An observational study. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157:233-41. LinkGoogle Scholar8. Hu H, Shih R, Rothenberg S, Schwartz BS. The epidemiology of lead toxicity in adults: measuring dose and consideration of other methodologic issues. Environ Health Perspect. 2007;115:455-62. [PMID: 17431499] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Vig EK, Hu H. Lead toxicity in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000;48:1501-6. [PMID: 11083332] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Wilhelm M, Heinzow B, Angerer J, Schulz C. Reassessment of critical lead effects by the German Human Biomonitoring Commission results in suspension of the human biomonitoring values (HBM I and HBM II) for lead in blood of children and adults. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2010;213:265-9. [PMID: 20493765] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Ashwini R. Sehgal, MDAffiliations: From Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44109.Disclosures: None disclosed. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M12-1460.Corresponding Author: Ashwini R. Sehgal, MD, Case Western Reserve University, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Rammelkamp 213, Cleveland, OH 44109; e-mail, [email protected]. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoLow-Level Lead Exposure and the Prevalence of Gout Eswar Krishnan , Bharathi Lingala , and Vivek Bhalla Metrics Cited byBlood lead levels and their associated risk factors in Chinese adults from 1980 to 2018Dietary Lead Exposure and Associated Health Risks in Guangzhou, China 21 August 2012Volume 157, Issue 4Page: 292-293KeywordsBloodBoneChildrenGoutHealth surveysRenal analysisSafetySafety studiesTasteUric acid ePublished: 21 August 2012 Issue Published: 21 August 2012 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2012 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...