Table 1.General characteristics of study population n (%)
Variables |
Males (n = 164) |
Females (n = 313) |
p-value |
Mean±SD |
Mean±SD |
Mean age (y) |
54.60 ± 8.69 |
53.37 ± 7.77 |
0.1271
|
40 - 49 |
52 (31.7) |
99 (31.6) |
0.1762
|
50 - 59 |
62 (37.8) |
141 (45.0) |
|
60 > |
50 (30.5) |
73 (23.3) |
|
Total cholesterol (mg/dL) |
194.91 ± 32.17 |
198.71 ± 35.15 |
0.2491
|
Triglycerides (mg/dL) |
141.59 ± 79.53 |
113.70 ± 74.20 |
<0.0011
|
LDL cholesterol (mg/dL) |
118.80 ± 29.52 |
121.58 ± 32.52 |
0.3611
|
HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) |
47.84 ± 11.10 |
54.48 ± 13.04 |
<0.0011
|
Fasting blood sugar (mg/dL) |
99.08 ± 21.02 |
92.44 ± 21.40 |
0.0011
|
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) |
120.02 ± 11.58 |
117.90 ± 12.75 |
0.0751
|
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) |
78.83 ± 7.21 |
77.88 ± 7.78 |
0.1941
|
Body mass index (kg/m2) |
24.24 ± 2.91 |
23.38 ± 2.99 |
0.0031
|
Waist circumference (cm) |
84.01 ± 8.08 |
76.86 ± 8.24 |
<0.0011
|
Waist to hip ratio |
0.93 ± 0.05 |
0.82 ± 0.04 |
<0.0011
|
Smoking |
|
|
|
Yes |
63 (38.4) |
101 (61.6) |
<0.0012
|
No |
11 (3.5) |
302 (96.5) |
|
Drinking |
|
|
|
Yes |
123 (75.0) |
41 (25.0) |
<0.0012
|
No |
105 (33.5) |
208 (66.5) |
|
Hair tail (Cutlass fish) |
|
|
|
Less than once a week |
103 (62.8) |
61 (37.2) |
0.5542
|
More than once a week |
187 (59.7) |
126 (40.3) |
|
Eel |
|
|
|
Less than once a week |
144 (87.8) |
20 (12.2) |
0.2662
|
More than once a week |
285 (91.1) |
28 (8.9) |
|
Yellow corbina (Croaker, Pacific) |
|
|
|
Less than once a week |
114 (69.5) |
50 (30.5) |
0.9172
|
More than once a week |
219 (70.0) |
94 (30.0) |
|
Tuna |
|
|
|
Less than once a week |
153 (93.3) |
11 (6.7) |
1.0002
|
More than nce a week |
291 (93.0) |
22 (7.0) |
|
Sushi (raw fish) |
|
|
|
Less than once a week |
150 (91.5) |
14 (8.5) |
0.1102
|
More than once a week |
298 (95.2) |
15 (4.8) |
|
Table 2.Blood mercury levels of the study population by sex and age
Variable |
n |
GM (95% CI) |
Mercury concentration by percentiles
|
5 |
25 |
50 |
75 |
95 |
Total |
477 |
7.99 (7.60, 8.40) |
3.23 |
5.55 |
7.83 |
11.71 |
18.45 |
Sex |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
164 |
9.74 (8.92, 10.63) |
3.91 |
6.77 |
9.66 |
14.59 |
19.56 |
Female |
313 |
7.21 (6.80, 7.64) |
3.04 |
5.19 |
7.12 |
10.49 |
14.04 |
Age (y) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40 - 49 |
151 |
8.87 (7.95, 9.80) |
2.57 |
5.09 |
7.53 |
10.93 |
15.37 |
50 - 59 |
203 |
9.84 (8.98, 10.71) |
3.52 |
5.86 |
7.96 |
12.08 |
16.60 |
60 ≥ |
123 |
9.06 (8.19, 9.94) |
2.84 |
4.10 |
7.91 |
11.28 |
16.70 |
Table 3.Blood mercury concentration according to cardiovascular risk factors by sex
|
Total
|
Male
|
Female
|
|
n |
GM (95% CI1) |
p-value |
n |
GM (95% CI1) |
p-value |
n |
GM (95% CI1) |
p-value |
Total cholesterol (mg/dL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 200 |
263 |
7.70 (7.20, 8.23) |
0.241 |
99 |
9.16 (8.17, 10.27) |
0.210 |
164 |
6.94 (6.42, 7.50) |
0.343 |
200 - 240 |
161 |
8.28 (7.62, 8.99) |
|
51 |
10.48 (8.92, 12.31) |
|
110 |
7.42 (6.78, 8.12) |
|
> 240 |
53 |
8.63 (7.21, 10.33) |
|
14 |
11.46 (8.65, 15.19) |
|
39 |
7.80 (6.27, 9.71) |
|
LDL cholesterol (mg/dL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 130 |
286 |
7.66 (7.19, 8.17) |
0.044 |
100 |
9.31 (8.32, 10.42) |
0.360 |
186 |
6.90 (6.41, 7.42) |
0.039 |
130 - 160 |
147 |
8.24 (7.55, 9.01) |
|
53 |
10.21 (8.70, 11.98) |
|
94 |
7.32 (6.62, 8.08) |
|
> 160 |
44 |
9.46 (7.86, 11.40) |
|
11 |
11.65 (8.38, 16.20) |
|
33 |
8.84 (7.05, 11.08) |
|
HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 40 (or 50)2
|
170 |
7.43 (6.86, 8.06) |
0.034 |
39 |
9.67 (8.24, 11.34) |
0.930 |
131 |
6.88 (6.29, 7.52) |
0.175 |
≤40 (or 50)2
|
307 |
8.32 (7.81, 8.86) |
|
125 |
9.75 (8.78, 10.84) |
|
182 |
7.45 (6.91, 8.04) |
|
Triglyceride (mg/dL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 150 |
362 |
7.77 (7.34, 8.21) |
0.125 |
110 |
9.12 (8.18, 10.16) |
0.100 |
252 |
7.25 (6.80, 7.72) |
0.452 |
150 - 200 |
47 |
9.01 (7.58, 10.72) |
|
18 |
11.66 (8.74, 15.54) |
|
29 |
7.68 (6.23, 9.47) |
|
> 200 |
68 |
8.56 (7.39, 9.90) |
|
36 |
10.87 (9.08, 13.00) |
|
32 |
6.54 (5.31, 8.05) |
|
Fasting blood sugar (mg/dL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 110 |
423 |
7.94 (7.52, 8.37) |
0.725 |
135 |
9.62 (8.69, 10.66) |
0.820 |
288 |
7.25 (6.83, 7.70) |
0.614 |
110 - 126 |
21 |
8.57 (6.86, 10.71) |
|
13 |
10.63 (8.25, 13.69) |
|
8 |
6.04 (4.35, 8.41) |
|
> 126 |
33 |
8.38 (6.91, 10.17) |
|
16 |
10.04 (8.23, 12.23) |
|
17 |
7.07 (5.11, 9.79) |
|
Systolic blood pressure (mg/dL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 130 |
327 |
7.76 (7.30, 8.26) |
0.090 |
106 |
9.58 (8.58, 10.70) |
0.630 |
221 |
7.02 (6.54, 7.53) |
0.159 |
≥ 130 |
150 |
8.51 (7.82, 9.28) |
|
58 |
10.02 (8.66, 11.62) |
|
95 |
7.68 (6.95, 8.50) |
|
Diastolic blood pressure (mg/dL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 85 |
327 |
7.82 (7.35, 8.31) |
0.200 |
110 |
9.72 (8.74, 10.82) |
0.960 |
217 |
7.00 (6.53, 7.51) |
0.136 |
≥ 85 |
150 |
8.39 (7.68, 9.16) |
|
54 |
9.76 (8.34, 11.45) |
|
96 |
7.70 (6.94, 8.53) |
|
Metabolic syndrome |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes |
420 |
7.97 (7.57, 8.40) |
0.722 |
148 |
9.48 (8.64, 10.41) |
0.07 |
272 |
7.25 (6.83, 7.71) |
0.586 |
No |
57 |
8.15 (6.90, 9.64) |
|
16 |
12.43 (9.52, 16.24) |
|
41 |
6.91 (5.72, 8.36) |
|
Body mass index (kg/m2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 18.5 |
11 |
5.22 (3.67, 7.43) |
0.006 |
5 |
4.87 (2.11, 11.24) |
0.001 |
6 |
5.53 (3.54, 8.64) |
0.419 |
18.5 - 25.0 |
326 |
7.74 (7.30, 8.21) |
|
91 |
9.04 (8.07, 10.14) |
|
235 |
7.29 (6.82, 7.80) |
|
≥25.0 |
140 |
8.90 (8.09, 9.79) |
|
68 |
11.31 (9.93, 12.88) |
|
72 |
7.10 (6.31, 7.98) |
|
Waist circumference (cm) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 90 (or 80)2
|
425 |
7.84 (7.44, 8.26) |
0.031 |
129 |
9.51 (8.62, 10.50) |
0.31 |
296 |
7.21 (6.79, 7.65) |
0.991 |
≤90 (or 80)2
|
52 |
9.35 (7.96, 10.99) |
|
35 |
10.61 (8.69, 12.97) |
|
17 |
7.20 (5.60, 9.25) |
|
Waist-to-hip ratio |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
< 0.9 (or 0.8)2
|
132 |
6.65 (6.13, 7.21) |
0.001 |
38 |
7.05 (6.06, 8.20) |
<0.001 |
94 |
6.49 (5.89, 7.16) |
0.019 |
0.9 - 0.95 (or 0.8-0.85)2
|
240 |
8.37 (7.80, 8.98) |
|
79 |
9.68 (8.54, 10.98) |
|
161 |
7.79 (7.17, 8.47) |
|
≥0.95 (or 0.85)2
|
105 |
9.08 (8.08, 10.20) |
|
47 |
12.77 (10.94, 14.91) |
|
58 |
6.89 (6.02, 7.88) |
|
Menopause |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes |
181 |
7.20 (6.64, 7.81) |
0.974 |
|
|
|
181 |
7.20 (6.64, 7.81) |
0.974 |
No |
132 |
7.22 (6.65, 7.83) |
|
|
|
|
132 |
7.22 (6.65, 7.83) |
|
Table 4.Multiple regression analysis between blood mercury level and cardiovascular risk factors in the total population, males and females
|
|
Total1
|
Males2
|
Females3
|
|
|
Variable |
β
|
p - value |
Variable |
β
|
p - value |
Variable |
β
|
p - value |
HBM I (㎍/L) |
< 5 |
WHR |
0.231 |
0.117 |
WHR |
0.516 |
0.067 |
WHR |
0.125 |
0.380 |
|
|
LDLc |
-0.006 |
0.957 |
LDLc |
-0.210 |
0.432 |
LDLc |
0.037 |
0.774 |
|
≥5 |
WHR |
0.332 |
<0.0014
|
WHR |
0.362 |
<0.0014
|
WHR |
0.063 |
0.353 |
|
|
LDLc |
0.107 |
0.0284
|
LDLc |
0.094 |
0.232 |
LDLc |
0.107 |
0.102 |