Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference (한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집)

Korean Society of Environmental Health (한국환경보건학회)
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AN EXPLORATORY STUDY COMPARING BLOOD METAL CONCENTRATIONS BETWEEN STROKE AND NON-STROKE PATIENTS IN KOREANS

  • Lee, Sun-Dong (College of Oriental Medicine, SangJi University) ;
  • Ko, Seong-Gyu (College of Oriental Medicine, Kyunghee University) ;
  • Kim, Rok-Ho (Occupational Health Surveillance Program, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Euro.WHO.INT) ;
  • Hu, Howard (Professor of Occupational Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health, Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School) ;
  • Amarasiriwardena, Chitra J. (Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School) ;
  • Park, Hae-Mo (College of Oriental Medicine, SangJi University)
  • Published : 2005.12.16
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Abstract

Results from previous studies revealed that metal level in the body is related to certain types of diseases. For example. serum copper level with chronic heart failure, iron and transferrin in the blood serum with acute cerebral vascular diseases, Zn in the CNS, lead with neurotoxicity, hypertension, genetic damage, arsenic with cancer skin lesion, Al with neurobehavioral function (cognitive impairment and memory disorder), and etc. The rate of stroke has increased in recent years and several metals were found to be responsible for causing stroke. This study compared several blood metal concentrations between stroke and non-stroke patients. Patients with stroke (116 samples) and non-stroke (111 samples including lowback pain and others) participated in this study. Total of 227 blood samples were collected and participants completed questionnaires regarding age, gender, occupation, residence, alcohol, smoking, and etc. To be qualified into the stroke group, patients have never experienced stroke previously. Subjects only included ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage patients diagnosed by brain CT and brain MRI. Patients with high risk of metal exposure such as herbal intake and job related exposure were excluded. 10ml of blood samples were analyzed by ICP-MS method at the Center of Nature and Science at Sangji University. Metal geometric mean (SD) concentrations in blood of study subjects showed higher values, 2.64-36.12%, than WHO reference values in Mn, Ni, Hg, Se, and As. Metal concentration in blood of stroke patients non-adjusted for potential confounders was higher except for Hg and also higher except for Ni in adjusted for potential confounders. Co was significantly higher in stroke patients (p=0.002) than non-stroke patients adjusted for potential confounders. Regression coefficient values of stroke patients was 0.17-8.25 in each metals. Odd ratio of stroke patients had 0.96 (Ni)-2.68 (Co) compared to non-stroke cases. This result means that Co increase of 1 raises the risk ratio of stroke by 2.86 times. Based on the results, metal concentration in blood seems to affect incidence of stroke.

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