Abstract:
Objective To examine the associations of urine cadmium with electrocardiogram (ECG) changes in the U. S. general population.
Methods We included 6 889 individuals who aged ≥ 40 years and registered to the ECG examination of the U.S. Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES Ⅲ). The ECG parameters were recorded via standard 12-lead ECG analysis system, and the urine cadmium was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Analysis was based on cross-sectional design, and stratified by sex. We used multivariable linear regression to estimate the associations of urine cadmium concentrations with the ECG changes.
Results The average urine cadmium levels in the overall, male, and female participants were (0.7& #177;0.01), (0.6& #177;0.02), and (0.8& #177;0.02)μg/g cretinine, respectively. The multivariable-adjusted differences in heart rate, PRrr interval, QTrr interval, and QRS interval, comparing the highest with the lowest quartile of urine cadmium, were 1.72 (95%CI:0.05, 3.4)beats/min, -3.87 (95%CI:-7.3, -0.45)ms, -0.39 (95%CI:-4.09, 3.22)ms, and -2.64 (95%CI:-4.96, -0.33)ms in the male participants, respectively. The corresponding differences were -0.19 (95%CI:-1.72, 1.33)beats/min, -0.09 (95%CI:-4.13, 3.94)ms, 1.59 (95%CI:-1.05, 4.23)ms, and -1.11 (95%CI:-2.68, 0.47)ms in the female participants, respectively.
Conclusion Urine cadmium is associated with ECG changes in the U.S. general male population.