METHODS: A cross-sectional survey on demographic data, blood
cadmium level and
lipid profile in
cadmium exposed workers from seven
cadmium smelting factories in central and southwestern China was conducted. We measured blood
cadmium concentration and
lipid components of 1489
cadmium exposed workers. The prevalence of
dyslipidemia was compared across blood
cadmium quartiles. Associations between the blood
cadmium concentrations and the prevalence of
dyslipidemia were assessed using confounder adjusted linear and logistic regressions.
RESULTS: The blood
cadmium concentration was 3.61±0.84µg/L ( mean ±SD). The prevalence of
dyslipidemia in this occupational population was 66.3%. Mean blood
cadmium concentration of workers with dyslipedemia was significantly higher than that of workers without
dyslipidemia (p <0.01). The prevalence of
dyslipidemia increased dose-dependently with elevations in blood
cadmium concentrations (p for trend <0.001). Elevated levels of blood
cadmium were associated with BMI, education attainment, income, smoking status and duration of exposure (all p <0.01). Furthermore, the profile of blood
lipid was obviously changed in this occupational population. The prevalence of high TC, high TG, Low HDL-C and high
LDL-C rose with increases in blood
cadmium levels dose-dependently (p for trend <0.001). The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for
dyslipidemia across the increasing blood
cadmium quartiles were 1.21(1.16-1.55), 1.56(1.11-1.87), 1.79(1.26-2.25) respectively (referencing to 1.00; p for trend <0.001), after multivariate adjustment for BMI, education attainment, income, lifestyle factors and duration of exposure, the association between blood
cadmium concentrations and the prevalence of
dyslipidemia remained unchanged (all p for trend <0.001).
CONCLUSION: Elevated blood
cadmium concentration is associated with prevalence of
dyslipidemia.
Cadmium exposure could alter lipid metabolism in humans. It is imperative to control
cadmium exposure of occupational population in
cadmium related industries and reduce adverse health effects.