High risks of lung disease associated with early-life and moderate lifetime arsenic exposure in northern Chile.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Arsenic in drinking water has been associated with increases in lung disease, but information on the long-term impacts of early-life exposure or moderate exposure levels are limited.

Methods

We investigated pulmonary disease and lung function in 795 subjects from three socio-demographically similar areas in northern Chile: Antofagasta, which had a well-described period of high arsenic water concentrations (860μg/L) from 1958 to 1970; Iquique, which had long-term arsenic water concentrations near 60μg/L; and Arica, with long-term water concentrations ≤10μg/L.

Results

Compared to adults never exposed >10μg/L, adults born in Antofagasta during the high exposure period had elevated odds ratios (OR) of respiratory symptoms (e.g., OR for shortness of breath=5.56,

SUBMITTER: Steinmaus C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5247272 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature