Renal effects of environmental and occupational lead exposure

Abstract

Lead is one of the most useful elements in industry, but serves no useful function in the human body. Environmental and industrial lead exposures continue to pose major public health problems in the exposed population.[1] Over the years, it has become increasingly evident that low-level lead exposure resulting in blood lead levels between 10 and 15 μg/dL can lead to deleterious effects like cognitive impairment and behavioral deficits, high blood pressure (BP) and impaired renal function.[2,3] Lancereaux[4] provided the first description of kidney disease and interstitial nephritis by postmortem examination of a lead-poisoned artist. It was not until the late 1920s when an epidemic of chronic nephritis in Queensland, Australia, was linked to childhood lead poisoning that the full spectrum of lead-induced nephropathy became apparent.[5,6] This was followed by cases of renal diseases from the US in individuals consuming lead-contaminated illegally distilled moonshine whisky.[7]