Association between urinary lead and bone health in a general population from Taiwan

Lead accumulates in adult bones for many decades; previous studies have shown lead’s detrimental effects on osteoblast and osteoclast activity in association with bone remodeling. osteoporosis is a disease of the bones resulting in low bone mass that induces fragile bones and hence susceptibility of fracture. we estimated the association between urinary lead (u-pb) levels and bone health in adults participating in the third nutrition and health survey in taiwan (nahsit) from 2005 to 2008. a total of 398 participants were divided into normal (t-score>−1), osteopenic (t-score between −1 and −2.5), or osteoporotic (t-score<−2.5) groups according to the results of bone mineral density (bmd) measurements. heavy metals were measured in urine specimens using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. in the multivariable logistic regression analysis, age (or=1.08; 95% ci=1.05–1.10), former smokers (or=2.95; 95% ci=1.22–7.11) and higher u-pb levels than upper tertile (or=2.30; 95% ci=1.19–4.48) were associated with osteopenia/osteoporosis. furthermore, age (or=1.06; 95% ci=1.02–1.10) and higher u-pb levels (or=2.81; 95% ci=1.13–6.97) were significantly associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis in women. these results suggest that adults, particularly in women, with higher u-pb levels may have increased odds of osteopenia and osteoporosis.