Arsenic exposure from drinking water and the occurrence of micro-and macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes

Abstract

The highest arsenic concentrations in Serbia are measured in drinking water in the Vojvodina Region. The research was designed as a cross-sectional cohort study comprising exposed and unexposed patients with the type 2 diabetes to arsenic in drinking water in Zrenjanin municipality, Serbia. Median life time arsenic exposure from drinking water in exposed group was calculated at 181.00 µg day−1 (ranged 1.15–1369.51 µg day−1. Multivariate logistic regression model showed significantly higher odds ratio for the occurrence of myocardial infarction and stroke at arsenic concentrations above 10 µg L−1, while life time arsenic exposure significantly contributed to the occurrence of heart failure. These results support the hypothesis that exposure to arsenic in drinking water may play a role in the occurrence of micro-and macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes.