TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of fingernail selenium in the association between arsenic, lead and mercury and child development in rural Vietnam
T2 - a cross-sectional analysis
AU - Egwunye, Jacob
AU - Cardoso, Barbara R.
AU - Braat, Sabine
AU - Tran, Ha
AU - Hanieh, Sarah
AU - Hare, Dominic
AU - Duan, Alex Xiaofei
AU - Doronila, Augustine
AU - Tran, Thach
AU - Tuan, Tran
AU - Fisher, Jane
AU - Biggs, Beverley-Ann
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Authors 2022.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Background: Arsenic, lead and mercury are common environmental contaminants in low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the association between child toxicant exposure and growth and development and determined if this association was mitigated by selenium concentration. Methods: Toxicant concentrations in fingernail samples, anthropometry, and Bayley's Scales of Infant Development, 3rd edition (BSID) domains were assessed in 36-month-old children whose mothers had been part of a randomised controlled trial in rural Vietnam. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to estimate the effect of toxicant exposure on clinical outcomes with adjustments for potential confounders and interaction with fingernail selenium concentration. Findings: We analysed 658 children who had data for at least one physical or developmental outcome, and at least one toxicant measurement, and each of the covariates. Fingernail arsenic concentration was negatively associated with language (estimate per 10% increase in arsenic: -0.19, 95% CI: [-0.32, -0.05]). Lead was negatively associated with cognition (estimate per 10% increase in lead: -0.08 [-0.15, -0.02]), language (estimate per 10% increase in lead: -0.18 [-0.28, -0.10]), and motor skills (estimate per 10% increase in lead: -0.12 [-0.24, 0.00]). Mercury was negatively associated with cognition (estimate per 10% increase in mercury: -0.48, [-0.72, -0.23]) and language (estimate per 10% increase in mercury -0.51, [-0.88, -0.13]) when selenium concentration was set at zero in the model. As selenium concentration increased, the negative associations between mercury and both cognition and language scores were attenuated. There was no association between toxicant concentration and growth. Interpretation: Arsenic, lead and mercury concentrations in fingernails of 3-year-old children were associated with lower child development scores. The negative association between mercury and neurological development was reduced in magnitude with increasing selenium concentration. Selenium status should be considered when assessing heavy metal toxicants in children and their impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes.
AB - Background: Arsenic, lead and mercury are common environmental contaminants in low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the association between child toxicant exposure and growth and development and determined if this association was mitigated by selenium concentration. Methods: Toxicant concentrations in fingernail samples, anthropometry, and Bayley's Scales of Infant Development, 3rd edition (BSID) domains were assessed in 36-month-old children whose mothers had been part of a randomised controlled trial in rural Vietnam. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to estimate the effect of toxicant exposure on clinical outcomes with adjustments for potential confounders and interaction with fingernail selenium concentration. Findings: We analysed 658 children who had data for at least one physical or developmental outcome, and at least one toxicant measurement, and each of the covariates. Fingernail arsenic concentration was negatively associated with language (estimate per 10% increase in arsenic: -0.19, 95% CI: [-0.32, -0.05]). Lead was negatively associated with cognition (estimate per 10% increase in lead: -0.08 [-0.15, -0.02]), language (estimate per 10% increase in lead: -0.18 [-0.28, -0.10]), and motor skills (estimate per 10% increase in lead: -0.12 [-0.24, 0.00]). Mercury was negatively associated with cognition (estimate per 10% increase in mercury: -0.48, [-0.72, -0.23]) and language (estimate per 10% increase in mercury -0.51, [-0.88, -0.13]) when selenium concentration was set at zero in the model. As selenium concentration increased, the negative associations between mercury and both cognition and language scores were attenuated. There was no association between toxicant concentration and growth. Interpretation: Arsenic, lead and mercury concentrations in fingernails of 3-year-old children were associated with lower child development scores. The negative association between mercury and neurological development was reduced in magnitude with increasing selenium concentration. Selenium status should be considered when assessing heavy metal toxicants in children and their impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes.
KW - arsenic
KW - Child development
KW - lead mercury
KW - selenium
KW - toxicants
KW - Vietnam
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130514531&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0007114522001374
DO - 10.1017/S0007114522001374
M3 - Article
C2 - 35535482
AN - SCOPUS:85130514531
JO - British Journal of Nutrition
JF - British Journal of Nutrition
SN - 0007-1145
ER -