Kapitsinou A, Soldatou A, Tsitsika A, Kossiva L, Tsentidis Ch, Nisianakis P, Theocharis S, Garoufi A
Second Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Chemical Laboratory, Center of Biological Research of Armed Forces, Athens, Greece.
Child Care Health Dev. 2015 Nov;41(6):1199-206. doi: 10.1111/cch.12254. Epub 2015 May 13.
Childhood lead poisoning remains a critical environmental health concern because even low blood lead levels (BLLs) can result in permanent adverse health effects. Social factors and living conditions have been correlated with BLLs. There is no recent survey about the prevalence of elevated BLLs among children in Greece. The purpose of this study was to assess BLLs among children aged 6-36 months born and living in Greece and to evaluate their association with demographic, socio-economic and housing conditions.
In a cross-sectional hospital-based study including 814 randomly selected children aged 6-36 months, BLLs and haematological parameters were evaluated. A questionnaire investigating demographic and socio-economic conditions was completed in all children. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA for Windows v.8.5, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
The mean BLLs of the population were 2.78 (SD = 2.34) µg/dl, and the median was 2.02 µg/dl; 11.7% had BLLs above 5 µg/dl, while 15 children (1.8%) exceeded 10 µg/dl. Being a toddler, being Roma or Asian, living in an industrial/low-income neighbourhood or in an old house, using traditional herbs and/or spices and having a mother with a manual occupation were independent risk factors for elevated BLLs.
Lead exposure remains a threat for optimal health especially for toddlers and children of socio-economically disadvantaged families living in Greece. A nationwide survey to assess lead exposure in children is necessary to guide prevention governmental policies.
儿童铅中毒仍然是一个严重的环境卫生问题，因为即使是低血铅水平（BLLs）也可能导致永久性的健康不良影响。社会因素和生活条件与血铅水平相关。希腊最近没有关于儿童血铅水平升高患病率的调查。本研究的目的是评估在希腊出生并生活的6至36个月大儿童的血铅水平，并评估其与人口统计学、社会经济和住房条件的关联。
在一项基于医院的横断面研究中，纳入了814名随机选择的6至36个月大的儿童，评估了他们的血铅水平和血液学参数。对所有儿童完成了一份调查人口统计学和社会经济状况的问卷。使用Windows版STATA v.8.5进行统计分析，P < 0.05被认为具有统计学意义。
总体人群的平均血铅水平为2.78（标准差 = 2.34）μg/dl，中位数为2.02 μg/dl；11.7%的儿童血铅水平高于5 μg/dl，而15名儿童（1.8%）超过10 μg/dl。年龄较小、为罗姆人或亚洲人、居住在工业/低收入社区或老房子里、使用传统草药和/或香料以及母亲从事体力劳动是血铅水平升高的独立危险因素。
铅暴露仍然是最佳健康的威胁，特别是对于生活在希腊的社会经济弱势家庭的幼儿和儿童。有必要进行全国性调查以评估儿童的铅暴露情况，为政府预防政策提供指导。
