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Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified), Open
Journal article
Serum mercury concentration and the risk of ischemic stroke: The REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Trace Element Study
Environment international, v 117, pp 125-131
Aug 2018
PMCID: PMC5997556
PMID: 29738916
Abstract
Although biologically plausible, epidemiological evidence linking exposure to methylmercury with increased risk of ischemic stroke is limited. The effects of methylmercury may be modified by selenium, which is an anti-oxidant that often co-exists with mercury in fish.
To examine the association between serum mercury levels with the incidence of ischemic stroke and to explore the possible effect modifications by serum selenium levels and demographic and geographic factors.
A case-cohort study was designed nested in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke cohort, including 662 adjudicated incident cases of ischemic stroke and 2494 participants in a randomly selected sub-cohort. Serum mercury was measured using samples collected at recruitment. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the Barlow-weighting method for the Cox proportional hazards regression model.
No statistically significant association was observed between serum mercury concentration and the incidence of ischemic stroke (the highest vs. lowest quintile of mercury levels: HR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.55–1.22; P for linear trend = 0.42). Sex (P for interaction = 0.06), but not serum selenium levels, modified the association; a more evident trend toward lower incidence of ischemic stroke with higher mercury levels was observed among women.
This study does not support an association between mercury and the incidence of ischemic stroke within a population with low-to-moderate level of exposure. Further studies are needed to explore the possibility of mercury-induced ischemic stroke toxicity in other populations at higher exposure levels.
•Serum mercury is not associated with an increased incidence of ischemic stroke.•Serum selenium level did not modify the association.•A more evident trend of inverse association was observed in women, but not in men.
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Details
- Title
- Serum mercury concentration and the risk of ischemic stroke: The REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Trace Element Study
- Creators
- Cheng Chen - Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health -- Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.Pengcheng Xun - Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health -- Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.Leslie A. McClure - Drexel UniversityJohn Brockman - University of MissouriLeslie MacDonald - National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthMary Cushman - University of VermontJianwen Cai - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillLisa Kamendulis - Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health - Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.Jason Mackey - Indiana University – Purdue University IndianapolisKa He - Indiana University Bloomington
- Publication Details
- Environment international, v 117, pp 125-131
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000436573400015
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85046784957
- Other Identifier
- 991019168205104721
InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences