Association between Heavy Metals and Rare Earth Elements with Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Case-Control Study Conducted in the Canary Islands (Spain)

• Published in: Toxics (Basel) Vol. 8; no. 3; p. 66
• Main Authors: Medina-Estévez, Florián, Zumbado, Manuel, Luzardo, Octavio P., Rodríguez-Hernández, Ángel, Boada, Luis D., Fernández-Fuertes, Fernando, Santandreu-Jimenez, María Elvira, Henríquez-Hernández, Luis Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 02.09.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Brain research; Case studies; case-control study; cerebrovascular accident; Cerium; Disease; Earth; Gold; Hazardous materials; heavy metal; Heavy metals; Hypertension; Informed consent; International organizations; Ischemia; Multivariate analysis; Pollutants; rare earth element; Rare earth elements; Rehabilitation; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Stroke; Canary Islands; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; Spain
• ISSN: 2305-6304; 2305-6304
• DOI: 10.3390/toxics8030066

The role of inorganic elements as risk factors for stroke has been suggested. We designed a case-control study to explore the role of 45 inorganic elements as factors associated with stroke in 92 patients and 83 controls. Nineteen elements were detected in >80% of patients and 21 were detected in >80% of controls. Blood level of lead was significantly higher among patients (11.2 vs. 9.03 ng/mL) while gold and cerium were significantly higher among controls (0.013 vs. 0.007 ng/mL; and 18.0 vs. 15.0 ng/mL). Lead was associated with stroke in univariate and multivariate analysis (OR = 1.65 (95% CI, 1.09–2.50) and OR = 1.91 (95% CI, 1.20–3.04), respectively). Gold and cerium showed an inverse association with stroke in multivariate analysis (OR = 0.81 (95% CI, 0.69–0.95) and OR = 0.50 (95% CI, 0.31–0.78)). Future studies are needed to elucidate the potential sources of exposure and disclose the mechanisms of action.