01.02 Arterial Structure and Function and Environmental Exposure to Cadmium

Abstract

Background

Controversy exists regarding cadmium’s influence on arterial function at the population level.

Methods and results

The associations of cadmium with measures of arterial function were determined in a randomly selected population sample (n = 557) from two rural areas with low and high environmental exposure to cadmium. 24-h urinary cadmium excretion was significantly higher in the high compared with the low exposure group (P<0.0001). Aortic pulse wave velocity (P = 0.008), brachial pulse pressure (P = 0.026) and femoral pulse pressure (P = 0.008) were significantly lower in the high exposure group. Femoral distensibility (P<0.0001) and compliance (P = 0.0013) were significantly higher at high exposure. By determining associations between measures of arterial function and cadmium exposure across quartiles of the 24-h urinary cadmium excretion (adjusted for sex and age), brachial (P for trend = 0.015) and femoral (P for trend = 0.018) pulse pressure significantly decreased and femoral distensibility (P for trend = 0.008) and compliance (P for trend = 0.007) significantly increased with high cadmium excretion. After full adjustment, the partial regression coefficients confirmed these associations. Pulse wave velocity (β = −0.79; P = 0.004) and carotid (β = −4.20; P = 0.006), brachial (β = −5.43; P = 0.0001) and femoral (β = −4.72; P = 0.007) pulse pressures correlated negatively, while femoral compliance (β = 0.11; P = 0.016) and distensibility (β = 1.70; P = 0.014) correlated positively with cadmium excretion.

Conclusions

Increased cadmium body burden is associated with lower aortic pulse wave velocity, lower pulse pressure throughout the arterial system, and higher femoral distensibility.