Higher Serum Heavy Metals Concentrations Are Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis : A Study of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)

Sang Hyun Joo¹, Dong Jin Go^2,3, Eun Young Ahn³, Hyun Mi Kwon³, Joongyub Lee⁴ and Yeong Wook Song^5,6, ¹Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea, The Republic of, ²Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, The Republic of, ³Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea, The Republic of, ⁴Division of Clinical Epidemiology Medical Research Collaborating Center Biomedical Research Institution, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea, The Republic of, ⁵Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea, ⁶1Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, The Republic of

Meeting: 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 28, 2016

Keywords: population studies, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), risk and serologic tests

Session Information

Date: Sunday, November 13, 2016

Title: Rheumatoid Arthritis – Clinical Aspects - Poster I: Clinical Characteristics/Presentation/Prognosis

Session Type: ACR Poster Session A

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: The heavy metal Cadmium (Cd) may contribute to the high risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through the cigarette smoking and occupational exposure including air pollution. But, there was no definite report about association between heavy metals and RA.

Methods: We analyzed serum heavy metals (Cd, Hg and Pb) [N=53829, RA= 803 vs. control= 5410, from 2008 to 2013], serum Mn, urine As (AAS method), [N=20277, RA=330 vs. control=65, from 2008 to 2009] and serum Zn [N=8958, RA=133 vs. control=27, in 2010] in RA patients from the data of KNHANES. We analyzed the prevalence of RA and performed general linear model and logistic regression with complex sample design method adjusted by age, sex and smoking status to evaluate the association of the serum heavy metals or minerals levels and RA.

Results: The prevalence of RA was 1.59 % [95% CI; 1.33-1.89] from 2008 to 2013. Serum Cd levels were elevated in RA patients (RA vs. control; 1.44 ± 0.06 μg/L vs. 1.02 ± 0.02 μg/L, p=0.02), and serum Pb levels also increased in RA patients (2.33 ± 0.07 μg/dL vs. 2.12 ± 0.03 μg/dL, p=0.01). There were no differences of serum Hg level (4.22 ± 0.24 μg/L vs. 4.00 ± 0.01μg/L, p=0.49), serum Mn level (1.33 ± 0.04 μg/dL vs. 1.33 ± 0.07 μg/dL, p=0.27), serum Zn level (126.51 ± 4.71 μg/dL vs. 119.14 ± 12.65 μg/dL, p=0.48) and urine As level (AAS method; 192.70 ± 15.65 μg/L creat vs. 181.34 ± 42.22 μg/L creat, p=0.79) between RA patients and control.

The odds ratios [OR, 95% CI] of the RA prevalence according to increase 1 μg/L of serum Cd was 1.62 [1.28-2.05, p<0.001]. And the OR of RA prevalence according to increase 1 μg/dL of serum Pb levels is 1.37 [1.18-1.60, p<0.001].

Conclusion:

We showed increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis associated with the serum Cd and Pb levels in the KNHANES data of Korean populations.

Disclosure: S. H. Joo, None; D. J. Go, None; E. Y. Ahn, None; H. M. Kwon, None; J. Lee, None; Y. W. Song, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Joo SH, Go DJ, Ahn EY, Kwon HM, Lee J, Song YW. Higher Serum Heavy Metals Concentrations Are Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis : A Study of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016; 68 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/higher-serum-heavy-metals-concentrations-are-associated-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-a-study-of-the-korean-national-health-and-nutrition-examination-survey-knhanes/. Accessed .

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