IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i12p4558-d375927.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cadmium Is Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in a Superfund Site Lead Smelter Community in Dallas, Texas

Author

Listed:
  • Bert B. Little

    (School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
    Department of Anthropology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
    Parkland Hospital and Health System, Dallas, TX 75235, USA)

  • Robert Reilly

    (School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
    Nephrology Section, Birmingham School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA)

  • Brad Walsh

    (Parkland Hospital and Health System, Dallas, TX 75235, USA)

  • Giang T. Vu

    (School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA)

Abstract

Objective: To test the hypothesis that cadmium (Cd) exposure is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: A two-phase health screening (physical examination and laboratory tests) was conducted in a lead smelter community following a Superfund Cleanup. Participants were African Americans aged >19 years to <89 years. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze T2DM regressed on blood Cd level and covariates: body mass index (BMI), heavy metals (Ar, Cd, Hg, Pb), duration of residence, age, smoking status, and sex. Results: Of 875 subjects environmentally exposed to Cd, 55 were occupationally exposed to by-products of lead smelting and 820 were community residents. In addition, 109 T2DM individuals lived in the community for an average of 21.0 years, and 766 non-T2DM individuals for 19.0 years. T2DM individuals (70.3%) were >50 years old. Blood Cd levels were higher among T2DM subjects ( p < 0.006) compared to non-T2DM individuals. Logistic regression of T2DM status identified significant predictors: Cd level (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.14–2.99, p < 0.01), age >50 years (OR = 3.10; 95% CI: 1.91–5.02, p < 0.0001), and BMI (OR = 1.07; CI: 1.04–1.09, 0.0001). In meta-analysis of 12 prior studies and this one, T2DM risk was OR = 1.09 (95% CI: 1.03–1.15, p < 0.004) fixed effects and 1.22 (95% CI: 1.04–1.44, p < 0.02) random effects. Discussion: Chronic environmental Cd exposure was associated with T2DM in a smelter community, controlling for covariates. T2DM onset <50 years was significantly associated with Cd exposure, but >50 years was not. Meta-analysis suggests that Cd exposure is associated with a small, but significant increased risk for T2DM. Available data suggest Cd exposure is associated with an increased propensity to increased insulin resistance.

Suggested Citation

  • Bert B. Little & Robert Reilly & Brad Walsh & Giang T. Vu, 2020. "Cadmium Is Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in a Superfund Site Lead Smelter Community in Dallas, Texas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4558-:d:375927
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4558/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4558/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Supabhorn Yimthiang & Phisit Pouyfung & Tanaporn Khamphaya & Saruda Kuraeiad & Paleeratana Wongrith & David A. Vesey & Glenda C. Gobe & Soisungwan Satarug, 2022. "Effects of Environmental Exposure to Cadmium and Lead on the Risks of Diabetes and Kidney Dysfunction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-12, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4558-:d:375927. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.