Lead as a risk factor for hypertension in women.

The relation between blood lead concentrations and hypertension, although suggestive, remains controversial. A recent case-control study examined the relation of blood and bone lead concentrations, used as a measure of long-term low-level lead exposure, to the risk of hypertension in women. An increase in patella lead concentrations from the 10th to the 90th percentile was associated with increased odds of hypertension of 1.86 using a backward-elimination logistic regression after adjusting for age, body mass index, dietary sodium intake, and family history of hypertension. Although more studies are needed, this study suggests that associations between lead and blood pressure do occur in women.