Blood lead concentration correlates with all cause, all cancer and lung cancer mortality in adults: a population based study.

BACKGROUND This study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III to study the relationship between blood lead concentration and all cause, all cancer and lung cancer mortality in adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS Public use National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) data were used. NHANES III uses stratified, multistage probabilistic methods to sample nationally representative samples. Household adult, laboratory and mortality data were merged. Sample persons who were available to be examined in aMobile Examination Center (MEC) were included in this study. Specialized survey analysis software was used. RESULTS A total of 3,482 sample participants with complete information for all variables were included in this analysis. For all cause death, the odds ratios (S.E.) for statistically significant variables were body mass index, 1.03 (1.01- 1.06); age 1.01 (1.01-1.01); blood lead concentration, 1.05 (1.01-1.08); poverty income ratio, 0.823 (0.76-0 .89); and drinking hard liquor, 1.01 (1.00-1.02). For all cancer mortality, the odds ratios (S.E.) of the statistically significant variables were: age, 1.01 (1.01-1.01); blood lead concentration, 1.07 (1.04-1.12), black race, using non-Hispanic white as reference, 1.69 (1.12-2.56); and smoking, 1.02 (1.01-1.04). For lung cancer mortality, the odds ratios (S.E.) of the statistically significant variables were: age, 1.01 (1.01-1.01); blood lead concentration, 1.09 (1.05-1.13); Mexican Americans, using non-Hispanic white as reference, 0.33 (0.129-0.850); other races, 1.80 (0.53-6.18); and smoking, 1.03 (1.02-1.05). CONCLUSION Blood lead concentration correlated with all cause, all cancer, and lung cancer mortality in adults.