Occupational exposure to lead uricemia and blood pressure

Introduction: the cardiovascular toxicity of lead remains incompletely elucidated.Objective: to study the relationship between occupational exposure to lead uricemia and blood pressure.Method: cross-sectional study of 200 workers exposed to lead and 200 unexposed; biological parameters measured were blood lead uricemia red cell PPZ and ALAU levels.Results: mean systolic blood pressure was (exposed: 11.98 ± 1.17 unexposed: 11.37 ± 1.35 mmhg) mean diastolic blood pressure was (exposed: 7.62 ± 0.90 unexposed: 6.95 ± 0.83 mmhg); prevalence of hyperuricemia was (exposed: 18.5% unexposed: 7.5%) prevalence of hypertension was (exposed: 14% unexposed: 7.5%). Unlike hyperuricemia hypertension was significantly related to blood lead level (p= 0.028). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly correlated with uricemia (p < 0.05) but not with blood lead. Mean uricemia values were significantly correlated with mean blood lead values (p < 0.01).