Jan 11, 2010 5:58 pm US/Eastern
Hopkins Study Links Lead Exposure To Kidney Damage
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center have connected small levels of lead exposure to damage in healthy children's kidneys.
Mary Bubala spoke with the lead investigator.
Small amounts of lead in the bodies of healthy children and teens -- amounts well below the levels defined as concerning by government standards -- may worsen kidney function.
Johns Hopkins Children's Center lead investigator Dr. Jeffrey Fadrowski studied more than 769 healthy children, ages 12 to 20.
"Even within a very small range, narrow range of lead exposure and at very low levels, we do see that children who had higher levels had slightly lower levels of kidney function," said Fadrowski.
Because of what researchers discovered, they say it underscores the need to continue to work to eliminate sources of lead exposure in children and teens.
Almost three decades after the U.S. removed lead from paint, the toxin still harms an estimated 310,000 U.S. children, mainly from lead dust coming from old windows when they're opened and closed. Fadrowski says there's an urgent need for studies that track lead levels and kidney function over time.
"I think you need to put it in the context of chronic kidney disease in the United States where more than 20 million have it, the burden is on us as clinicians and researchers to look at all the potential factors that can lead to this," said Fadrowski.
Researchers say this study points to more kidney trouble down the road nationwide as children get older and they face additional risk factors for kidney disease like high blood pressure and diabetes.
While there has been lots of focus on lead exposure and neurological damage and developmental delays, this is the first study to draw a link to kidney damage in children.
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