Lead screening in children presenting to three hospitals in Lebanon.

Autor:	El Zahran T; Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon te15@aub.edu.lb., Mostafa H; Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Hamade H; Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Al Hariri M; Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Saab A; Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Tamim H; Biostatistics Unit, Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Tohme R; Department of Pediatrics, Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Al Hamod DA; Department of Pediatrics, Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Sinno D; Department of Pediatrics, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Sawaya RD; Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon., Kazzi Z; Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.; Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Archives of disease in childhood [Arch Dis Child] 2022 Mar; Vol. 107 (3), pp. 251-256. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Aug 24.
DOI:	10.1136/archdischild-2021-322012
Abstrakt:	Background: Lead damages most body organs and its effects are most profound in children. In a study in Beirut in 2003, before banning the leaded gasoline, 79% of the participants showed blood lead levels (BLLs) higher than 5 µg/dL. The prevalence of lead exposure in Lebanon after the ban on leaded gasoline has not been studied. This study assessed the BLL in Lebanese children aged 1-6 years. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three hospitals in Beirut. The children's BLLs were tested, and their caregiver completed a questionnaire to identify subgroups at risk of exposure. Participants were provided with a WHO brochure highlighting the risks of lead. Results: Ninety children with a mean age of 3.5±1.5 years were enrolled in the study and had a mean BLL of 1.1±0.7 µg/dL, with all values being below 5.0 µg/dL, showing a marked decrease in BLL compared with the mean BLL before the ban on leaded gasoline in 2002. Having a father or a mother with a college degree (p=0.01 and p=0.035, respectively) and having a monthly household income greater than $1000 (p=0.021) were associated with significantly lower BLL. Having more rooms at home and residing close to construction sites were associated with a significantly lower BLL (p=0.001 and p=0.026, respectively). Residing in a house aged >40 years and receiving traditional remedies were associated with a significantly higher BLL (p=0.009 and p<0.0001, respectively). Conclusion: BLLs have declined among Lebanese children and this could be attributed to multiple factors including the ban of leaded gasoline. It would be beneficial to conduct a larger study with a nationally representative sample to better characterise the BLL. Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared. (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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