Inorganic arsenic exposure and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Mexico

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 104; no. 3; pp. 383 - 389
• Main Authors: Coronado-González, José Antonio, Del Razo, Luz María, García-Vargas, Gonzalo, Sanmiguel-Salazar, Francisca, Escobedo-de la Peña, Jorge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.07.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; ARSENIC; Arsenic Poisoning - complications; Arsenic Poisoning - urine; Arsenicals - urine; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Chemical; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; CREATININE; Cross-Sectional Studies; DIABETES MELLITUS; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - urine; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; DIAGNOSIS; DRINKING WATER; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; GLUCOSE; HEALTH HAZARDS; Humans; HYDRIDES; INSULIN; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Metals and various inorganic compounds; MEXICO; Mexico - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; POLLUTANTS; Risk factors; Toxicology; Type 2; URINE; Water pollutants; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water Pollutants, Chemical - urine; Water Supply - standards; Central America; Mexico; America; Mexico, Coahuila; Chemical; Arsenic; Diabetes mellitus; Type 2; Case-Control Studies; Risk factors; Water pollutants; Endocrinopathy; Type 2 diabetes; Human; Drinking water; Metabolic diseases; Arsenic compound; Case control study; Epidemiology; Pollutant; Health and environment; Risk factor; Public health; Chemical contamination
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2007.03.004

Inorganic arsenic exposure in drinking water has been recently related to diabetes mellitus. To evaluate this relationship the authors conducted in 2003, a case-control study in an arseniasis-endemic region from Coahuila, a northern state of Mexico with a high incidence of diabetes. The present analysis includes 200 cases and 200 controls. Cases were obtained from a previous cross-sectional study conducted in that region. Diagnosis of diabetes was established following the American Diabetes Association criteria, with two fasting glucose values ⩾126 mg/100 ml (⩾7.0 mmol/l) or a history of diabetes treated with insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents. The next subject studied, subsequent to the identification of a case in the cross-sectional study was taken as control. Inorganic arsenic exposure was measured through total arsenic concentrations in urine, measured by hydride-generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Subjects with intermediate total arsenic concentration in urine (63.5–104 μg/g creatinine) had two-fold higher risk of having diabetes (odds ratio=2.16; 95% confidence interval: 1.23, 3.79), but the risk was almost three times greater in subjects with higher concentrations of total arsenic in urine (odds ratio=2.84; 95% confidence interval: 1.64, 4.92). This data provides additional evidence that inorganic arsenic exposure may be diabetogenic.