Association of Environmental Toxic Metals with High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: Metals including arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium are toxic and can increase cardiovascular disease risk. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a biomarker for inflammation and cardiovascular risk. This study will evaluate the association between urinary speciated arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury and blood values of hs-CRP in the United States adult population. Methods: A cross-sectional study using the 2015-2016 NHANES dataset, conducting multivariate linear regressions to analyze selected urinary metals and links with serum hs-CRP. Results: The sample consisted of 780 adults. In adjusted models, arsenocholine was found to be protective of inflammation, whereas aresnous acid, which is an inorganic, toxic type of arsenic acid, was positively associated with hs-CRP (b = 2.53). Conclusion: Urinary arsenous acid is a significant predictor of hs-CRP which is a biomarker for CVD.