Arsenic methylation capability and hypertension risk in subjects living in arseniasis-hyperendemic areas in southwestern Taiwan.
BACKGROUND: Cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE) from drinking water has been shown to be associated with hypertension in a dose-response pattern. This study further explored the association between arsenic methylation capability and hypertension risk among residents of arseniasis-hyperendemic areas in Taiwan considering the effect of CAE and other potential confounders. METHOD: There were 871 subjects (488 women and 383 men) and among them 372 were diagnosed as having hypertension based on a positive history or measured systolic blood pressure >/=140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure >/=90 mm Hg. Urinary arsenic species were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-hydride generator and atomic absorption spectrometry. Primary arsenic methylation index [ PMI, defined as monomethylarsonic acid (MMA(V)) divided by (As(III)+As(V))] and secondary arsenic methylation index (SMI, defined as dimethylarsinic acid divided by MMA(V)) were used as indicators for arsenic methylation capability. RESULTS: The level of urinary arsenic was still significantly correlated with cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE) calculated from a questionnaire interview (p=0.02) even after the residents stopped drinking the artesian well water for 2-3 decades. Hypertensive subjects had higher percentages of MMA(V) and lower SMI than subjects without hypertension. However, subjects having CAE >0 mg/L-year had higher hypertension risk than those who had CAE=0 mg/L-year disregard a high or low methylation index. CONCLUSION: Inefficient arsenic methylation ability may be related with hypertension risk.[1]References
- Arsenic methylation capability and hypertension risk in subjects living in arseniasis-hyperendemic areas in southwestern Taiwan. Huang, Y.K., Tseng, C.H., Huang, Y.L., Yang, M.H., Chen, C.J., Hsueh, Y.M. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. (2007) [Pubmed]
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