Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Biomarkers of kidney integrity in children and adolescents with dental amalgam mercury exposure: Findings from the Casa Pia children's amalgam trial

2008; Elsevier BV; Volume: 108; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.envres.2008.07.003

1096-0953

James S. Woods, Michael D. Martin, Brian G. Leroux, Timothy A. DeRouen, Mário Bernardo, Henrique Luís, Jorge Leitão, John Kushleika, Tessa Rue, Anna Korpak,

Air Quality and Health Impacts

Mercury is toxic to the kidney, and dental amalgam is a source of mercury exposure.Few studies have evaluated the effects of dental amalgam on kidney function in a longitudinal context in children.Here, we evaluated urinary concentrations of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) α and π as biomarkers of renal proximal and distal tubular integrity, respectively, and albumin as a biomarker of glomerular integrity in children and adolescents 8-18 years of age over a 7 year course of dental amalgam treatment.Five hundred seven children, 8-12 years of age at baseline, participated in a clinical trial to evaluate the neurobehavioral and renal effects of dental amalgam in children.Subjects were randomized to either dental amalgam or resin composite treatments.Urinary GSTs α and π, albumin and creatinine concentrations were measured at baseline and annually on all subjects.Results were evaluated using linear regression analysis.GST-α concentrations were similar between treatment groups and in each sex and race (white vs nonwhite) group in each follow-up year.GST-π levels tended upward over the course of follow-up by 4-to 6-fold.This increase was seen in all groups irrespective of treatment, race or gender.Females had GST-π levels approximately twice those of males at all ages.Albumin concentrations were constant throughout the follow-up period and did not differ by treatment, although females had 39% higher albumin levels than males.Additionally, we found no significant effects of amalgam treatment on the proportion of children with microalbuminuria (>30 mg/g creatinine).These findings are relevant within the context of children's health risk assessment as relates to the safety