Cadmium exposure is associated with chronic kidney disease in a superfund site lead smelter community in Dallas, Texas

• Main Authors: Bert B. Little (Author), Giang T. Vu (Author), Brad Walsh (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group, 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 0301-4460; 1464-5033; 10.1080/03014460.2023.2236017
• Keywords: cadmium; chronic kidney disease; african american; epa superfund; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Human anatomy; QM1-695; Physiology; QP1-981
• Source: Annals of Human Biology, Vol 50, Iss 1, Pp 360-369 (2023)

Background: The study was conducted in a Dallas lead smelter community following an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Cleanup project. Lead smelters operated in the Dallas community since the mid-1930s.Aim: To test the hypothesis that cadmium (Cd) exposure is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) ≥ stage 3.Subjects and methods: Subjects were African American residents aged ≥19 to ≤ 89 years (n=835). CKD ≥ stage 3 was predicted by blood Cd concentration with covariates.Results: In logistic regression analysis, CKD ≥ stage 3 was predicted by age ≥ 50 years (OR = 4.41, p < 0.0001), Cd level (OR = 1.89, p < .05), hypertension (OR = 3.15, p < 0.03), decades living in the community (OR = 1.34, p < 0.003) and T2DM (OR = 2.51, p < 0.01). Meta-analysis of 11 studies of Cd and CKD ≥ stage 3 yielded an ORRANDOM of 1.40 (p < 0.0001). Chronic environmental Cd exposure is associated with CKD ≥ stage 3 in a Dallas lead smelter community controlling covariates.Conclusion: Public health implications include screening for heavy metals including Cd, cleanup efforts to remove Cd from the environment and treating CKD with newer renal-sparing medications (e.g., SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1s).