INCREASED RISK OF PROTEINURIA AMONG A COHORT OF LEAD-EXPOSED PREGNANT-WOMEN

Long-term exposure to high concentrations of lead results in renal dys function. During a prospective study of environmental lead and pregnan cy outcomes in 1502 women residing in two towns in Yugoslavia, we expl ored whether moderate exposure to lead results in increased rates of p roteinuria. The geometric mean blood lead concentrations (BPb) were 17 .1 and 5.1 mug/dl in the smelter and nonexposed towns, respectively. I ncreases in BPb were associated with increased odds ratios for both tr ace and greater-than-or-equal-to 1+ proteinuria, measured using a urin ary dipstick. Comparing the women in the upper loth percentile of expo sure to those in the lowest 10th percentile, the adjusted odds ratio f or greater-than-or-equal-to 1+ proteinuria was 4.5 (95% CI 1.5, 13.6). Similarly, the adjusted odds ratio for trace proteinuria was 2.3 (95% CI 1.3, 4. 1). Similar to other studies showing associations between chronic exposure to lead and renal dysfunction, our data suggest that long-term exposure to environmental lead may be associated with protei nuria.