Plasma 5-aminolevulinic acid concentration and lead exposure in children

The relationship between concentration of 5-aminolevulinic acid in plasma ( ALAP) and other biomarkers of lead exposure and effect was investigated in lead-exposed children. We measured ALAP by chemical derivatization and high -performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The study p opulation consisted of 103 children: 78 from a referral clinic for children with lead poisoning and 25 from a general pediatric clinic. Blood lead con centration (PbB), age, and ALAP were higher in lead clinic subjects than in general clinic subjects. ALAP was significantly correlated with PbB (Spear man r = 0.38, P = 0.0007) and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentration (r = 0.41, P = 0.0002) in lead clinic subjects. PbB was a significant pred ictor of ALAP (P = 0.0001) by multiple linear regression in all subjects. T he average PbB in the 3- to 12-month period prior to blood collection corre lated with ALAP to the same degree that current PbB correlated with ALAP. P ossible associations between ALAP and adverse health outcomes, particularly neurobehavioral effects, should be investigated in children to assess the predictive value of ALAP for these endpoints. (C) 1999 Academic Press.