Associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure in residents of Asian countries

BACKGROUND@#Previous studies have suggested that exposures to heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium) may be associated with differences in blood pressure. However, the findings of these studies have been inconsistent. This study was performed to examine the associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure among residents of four Asian countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam).@*METHODS@#This cross-sectional study examined 1899 adults in four Asian countries. Urinary concentrations of heavy metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A questionnaire survey was administered regarding individual characteristics. Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) were performed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured after a short rest. Multiple linear regression models were applied to investigate associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure after adjustments for age, sex, and body mass index.@*RESULTS@#The geometric means of the urinary concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium were 84.6, 0.885, 2.09, and 16.5 μg/g creatinine, respectively. The urinary arsenic concentrations were slightly higher than those typically reported in non-polluted populations, while urinary cadmium, lead, and selenium concentrations were equivalent or slightly lower. The urinary lead concentrations were positively associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but urinary selenium concentrations were negatively associated with them.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Variations in the urinary concentrations of lead and selenium were associated with blood pressure at low levels of exposure/intake.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Relevant to Malaria Control in Remote Island Populations of Manus, Papua New Guinea

A community-based cross-sectional survey of 262 participants in four island communities of Manus, Papua New Guinea was conducted using a structured questionnaire to examine possible factors of malaria prevalence, including education experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors, in relation to antimalarial antibody titers. Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed that micro-environmental conditions caused inter-community differences in malaria prevalence. Ninety-nine percent of the subject villagers recognized mosquito bites as a cause of malaria transmission, which explains the high possession rate of bednets. There was a significant correlation between malaria education experience at schools and knowledge (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and between knowledge and bednet use (<i>p</i> < 0.05). However, regular bednet users were only 35% of the total, due primarily to feelings of discomfort, heat, and stuffiness inside the bednet. Villagers’ behavior of consulting an aid post orderly (APO) in case of high fever significantly lowered the titer level (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while their bednet use did not. This unexpected result was attributable to inappropriate bednet use and to daily living patterns, including both subsistence and social activities. We conclude that information regarding lifestyles and attitudes toward bednet use as well as malaria education experience at schools are particularly important for practical malaria prevention.

A study on the work load of recent forestry work / 日本農村医学会雑誌

To examine the work load of recent mechanized forestry work, energy expenditure, serum sarcoplasmic enzyme and urinary catecholamine were measured during engagement in the production of trees among twelve lumberjacks. Energy expenditure was relatively high in the works of debranching by a hatchet and hanging trees on carring wire cables. At least, the debranching work by a hatchet must be changed to more safety and lighter works. It was suggested that much more attention must be paid to the physiologic character of forestry work still now on the results of the changing pattern in serum sarcoplasmic enzyme and urinary catecholamine during these working process.