A case-control study was conducted to investigate the effect of low blood lead and cadmium level on the blood pressure. The plasma renin activity and catecholamine was measured also to reveal one of the possible mechanisms by which lead and
cadmium
may
play a role to influence on the blood pressure.
Seventy-two hypertensive and sixty-nin control study subjects were selected from the workers who had no history of job-related lead and cadmium exposure, in Ulsan city and it's vicinity, Korea.
The blood lead and cadmium level of hypertensive group were 19.8±5.5μg/dl, 3.06±1.06ng/ml which were significantly higher than that of control group, 12.5±4.7μg/dl, 2.05±0.66ng/ml, respectively (p<0.01). There were no significant difference
between hypertensive and control group in the plasma renin activity (PRA) and cathecholamine.
When the level of blood lead and cadmium were divided into there equal parts, the higher the concentration of blood lead and cadmium were, the higher the odds ratio was. So, in the case of lead an cadmium, one augmented the pressor effects of
another
one and their effects were at least additive.
When the level of blood lead and cadmium were divided into three equal parts in hypertensive group, PRA was related With blood cadmium significantly (p<0.05).
In this study, the levels in the normal range of lead and cadmium showed relationship with hypertension, and this might be influenced by change of PRA. To find out the clear relationship of lead and cadmium, the more prospective studies are
preferable.
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