Arsenic exposure and impaired lung function findings from a large population-based prospective cohort study

Faruque Parvez, Yu Chen, Mahbub Yunus, Mahbub Olopade, S. Segers, Vesna Slavkovich, Maria Argos, Rabiul Hasan, Alauddin Ahmed, Tariqul Islam, Mahmud M. Akter, Joseph H. Graziano, Habibul Ahsan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Rationale: Exposure to arsenic through drinking water has been linked to respiratory symptoms, obstructive lung diseases, and mortality from respiratory diseases. Limited evidence for the deleterious effects on lung function exists among individuals exposed to a high dose of arsenic. Objectives: To determine the deleterious effects on lung function that exist among individuals exposed to a high dose of arsenic. Methods: In 950 individuals who presented with any respiratory symptom among a population-based cohort of 20,033 adults, we evaluated the association between arsenic exposure, measured by well water and urinary arsenic concentrations measured at baseline, and post- bronchodilatoradministered pulmonary function assessed during follow-up. Measurements andMainResults: For everyoneSDincrease inbaseline water arsenic exposure, we observed a lower level of FEV1 (246.5 ml; P , 0.0005) and FVC (253.1 ml; P , 0.01) in regression models adjusted for age, sex, bodymass index, smoking, socioeconomic status, betelnut use, and arsenical skin lesions status. Similar inverse relationships were observed between baseline urinary arsenic and FEV1 (248.3 ml; P , 0.005) and FVC (255.2 ml; P , 0.01) in adjustedmodels. Our analyses also demonstrated a dose-related decrease in lung function with increasing levels of baseline water and urinary arsenic. This associationremainedsignificant innever-smokersandindividuals without skin lesions, and was stronger inmale smokers. Among male smokers and individuals with skin lesions, every one SD increase in water arsenic was related to a significant reduction of FEV1 (274.4ml, P , 0.01; and 2116.1 ml, P , 0.05) and FVC (272.8 ml, P = 0.02; and 2146.9 ml, P = 0.004), respectively. Conclusions: This large population-based studyconfirms that arsenic exposure is associated with impaired lung function and the deleterious effect is evident at low- to moderate-dose range.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)813-819
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Volume188
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2013

Keywords

  • Arsenic exposure
  • Bangladesh
  • Lung function

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

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