Investigation of the impact of exposure to trace elements on health and disease from the ToxiLaus study

Abstract

The ToxiLaus study aims at evaluating the impact of environmental toxic species on health and diseases’ onset and development. Specifically, the ubiquitous presence of trace elements (TEs) in the environment urges for a better characterization of their influence on human organism. In its primary phase, the ToxiLaus study focused on measuring the urinary concentrations of 23 TEs in the baseline samples from the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus population-based cohort, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistical analyses were carried out on 5866 participants, investigating links between TEs concentrations and smoking status, metabolic syndrome and body mass index (BMI). Smoking status was associated with Cd, Zn, Pb, Mo and Hg (respectively OR = 3.64, 1.42, 1.20, 0.69 and 0.58) while metabolic syndrome was associated with Zn and Cd (OR = 1.81 and 1.24 respectively). Concentrations of Zn, Hg, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, As, Sn, Tl, Fe where significantly different (p < 0.0001) between BMI groups (Normal, Overweight, Obese). Finally, this study provides an overview of the distribution of trace elements in a cohort large sample of the general population, as well as their main associations with cardiovascular risk factors. Theses relations will be further analysed in subsequent phases of the study.