Poisoned in their homes — Red blood cell abnormalities in lead-exposed residents of a Pakistani Industrial Zone

The present study investigated the clinical and hematological effects of chronic lead exposure in the population residing in Shadi Pura, a small industrial zone in Lahore, Pakistan. A cross-sectional analysis of 149 participants recruited through health camps was conducted to explore the hematological manifestations of environmental lead exposure, focusing on various red blood cell (RBC) indices and morphology. Moreover, the study examined the differences in the impact of lead exposure on RBC indices and morphology between men, women, and children. Participants exhibited symptoms of lead poisoning, including fatigue, muscle pain, and headache, with a significant percentage of women (44%) reporting miscarriages. Iron deficiency anemia was highly prevalent among all sub-groups of the study population, with adult females showing a significantly higher prevalence than adult males. Male children were the most affected subgroup, with 93% displaying anemia. The RBC count in children remained unchanged, while 31% of male and 7% of female participants displayed elevated RBC counts. RBC indices, mainly mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), were below normal levels, with children being more affected than adults and adult males being the least affected group. Furthermore, RBC morphology was severely affected, with a considerable proportion of females and children displaying hypochromic microcytic morphology. Our results highlight variations in the hematological impacts of lead exposure in different sex and age cohorts. Overall, our findings underscore the urgency of addressing the issue of environmental lead exposure in similar industrial zones. It is critical to implement appropriate measures to reduce lead exposure and enhance the infrastructure for safe drinking water and waste disposal to protect the health of populations in such areas.

Graphical Abstract