Exposure to certain toxic metals linked to development of subclinical atherosclerosis
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Exposure to toxic metals, including arsenic, cadmium and titanium, among employees at a car assembly plant was linked to subclinical level of atherosclerosis in three vascular territories, researchers reported.
According to the study findings published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, risk for subclinical atherosclerosis associated with toxic metals was greatest among older employees, men and those who at any time during their life smoked.
“There is strong evidence supporting a causal role of exposure to toxic metals, such as arsenic, cadmium and lead, as cardiovascular risk factors. Metals are ubiquitous in the environment, and general populations are chronically exposed to low levels through drinking water, food, ambient air and tobacco smoke,” Maria Tellez-Plaza, MD, PhD, a senior scientist in the department of chronic diseases epidemiology at the National Center for Epidemiology in Madrid, and colleagues wrote. “Atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by the formation of plaque inside the arteries, is the main underlying cause of CVD. Thus, studies evaluating the association of metals with subclinical atherosclerosis have potential to help identify at-risk individuals before clinical symptoms’ onset.”
Researchers utilized data from the Aragon Workers’ Health Study, a longitudinal cohort study that included the annual health examination of 5,678 workers at an Opel car assembly plant in Spain. Researchers used these data to assess the associations of nonessential metals exposure with subclinical atherosclerosis in three vascular territories.
Urinary measures of inorganic arsenic species, barium, cadmium, chromium, antimony, titanium, uranium, vanadium and tungsten were available for 1,873 study participants (61 women) and coronary calcium score was determined by CT.
Metal exposure and subclinical ASCVD
According to the study, median urine levels of metals were 1.83 g/g creatinine for arsenic, 1.98 g/g creatinine for barium, 0.27 g/g creatinine for cadmium, 1.18 g/g creatinine for chromium, 0.05 g/g creatinine for antimony, 9.8 g/g creatinine for titanium, 0.03 g/g creatinine for uranium, 0.66 g/g creatinine for vanadium and 0.23 g/g creatinine for tungsten.
Researchers observed there was greater risk for subclinical atherosclerosis in at least one vascular territory among individuals with urine arsenic (OR = 1.25; 95% CI, 1.03-1.51), cadmium (OR = 1.67; 95% CI, 1.22-2.29) and titanium (OR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04-1.52) in the 80th percentile compared with the 20th percentile.
After adjustment for the other relevant metals, arsenic (OR = 1.15; 95% CI, 0.93-1.41) and cadmium (OR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.12-2.15) exposure was linked to subclinical carotid atherosclerosis; cadmium (OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.28-2.3) and titanium (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.01-1.45) with subclinical femoral atherosclerosis; and titanium (OR = 1.14; 95% CI, 0.96-1.35) with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis.
“This study supports that exposure to toxic metals in the environment, even at low levels of exposure, is toxic for cardiovascular health,” Tellez-Plaza said in a press release. “The levels of metals in our study population were generally lower compared to other published studies. Metals, and in particular arsenic, cadmium and titanium, likely are relevant risk factors for atherosclerosis, even at the lowest exposure levels and among middle-aged working individuals.”
Subgroup analyses
In other findings, older study participants, men and individuals who smoked at any time were observed to have higher urine levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium and titanium compared with younger participants, women and never smokers (P < .05 for all).
“Current global environmental, occupational and food safety standards for cadmium, arsenic and other metals may be insufficient to protect the population from metal-related adverse health effects,” Tellez-Plaza said in the release. “Metal exposure prevention and mitigation has the potential to substantially improve the way we prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.”
Reference:
- Exposure to toxic metals may increase risk of clogged arteries. newsroom.heart.org/news/exposure-to-toxic-metals-may-increase-risk-of-clogged-arteries. Published Dec. 9, 2021. Accessed Dec. 9, 2021.
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