Project Details
Description
DESCRIPTION: Poor children are subjected to detrimental influences in their
lives. Some of these negative factors are biological and environmental,
such as poor nutrition and exposure to diseases and toxicants. Given that
risk factors are unlikely to occur in isolation for disadvantaged children,
potential synergistic effects or modifying influences of one risk factor on
another should be considered. Furthermore, attempts to reverse negative
outcomes are also likely to be influenced by such interactions. The general
goal of this study is to examine the interaction between elevated lead and
low iron levels on the response to clinical intervention in young children
between 18 and 30 months of age. The working hypotheses, based on
preliminary findings, are: 1) iron deficiency interferes with excretion of
lead and the lowering of blood lead levels; 2) elevated lead levels
interfere with correction of iron deficiency; 3) reduction of blood lead is
related to young children's cognitive development, particularly for children
who have adequate iron stores; 4) correction of iron deficiency, especially
increases in hemoglobin, is also related to cognitive outcome; and 5) the
combination of iron deficiency and elevated lead levels makes children
doubly vulnerable for continued cognitive as well as biochemical
abnormalities. To test these hypotheses, the investigators will intervene
clinically with disadvantaged children whose blood lead levels range from 10
to 44 ug/dL, with equal numbers of children who are deficient and sufficient
in iron. Interventions will include: 1) home inspections and procedures to
reduce exposure to lead from paint and dust; 2) iron supplementation.
Biochemical outcomes will include blood lead and indices of iron status.
Cognitive and behavioral outcomes will include a global measure of cognitive
functioning and specific tests of attention, reaction time, and motor
activity appropriate for this age range. These will be assessed prior to
intervention, six months later and one year later. This study is
complementary to an ongoing NIEHS sponsored investigation of chelation
therapy and cognitive outcomes in moderately lead poisoned children. In
contrast to this multicenter chelation study, children will be studied with
a wider initial range of blood lead levels who will not be chelated, but who
will receive iron treatment. Therefore, results should be more
generalizable to the majority of lead poisoned children.
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 7/1/98 → 6/30/03 |
ASJC
- Biochemistry
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