Active clinical trials for "Lead Poisoning"

Funded by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services - Medicaid Technical Assistance and Policy Program (MEDTAPP), the "Child Health Excellence Center - a University-Practice-Public Partnership" (CHEC-UPPP) focuses on improving the health of Ohio's children in 3 target areas: 1) prevention of dental decay; 2) detection and management of overweight and obesity; and 3) lead screening. These topics represent critical public health issues for Ohio's children. The study is based on strong evidence that interventions are needed to improve practice in the target areas and that achieving these goals represents fundamental improvements in child health care that would reduce morbidity and costs. The approach for the study involves a trained Practice Facilitator (PF) working with multiple pediatric and family medicine practices to create change tailored to individual practice preferences and methods of operation. Our overall hypothesis is that a university-community consortium, utilizing evidence-based methods (involving education plus a facilitated, practice-tailored approach) will increase the rates of targeted services in primary care practices.

In a cross-sectional study allotted by the ethical committee of the ETH Zurich, we are investigating the extent of anemia, iron deficiency and lead intoxication in young children. For this purpose an assessment of body lead burden and iron status was conducted in a cohort of individuals residing in areas of presumed high lead exposure. Associations between lead burden and iron status will be investigated in the near future (current status of the study). In a follow-on intervention study, the effect of iron fortification with and without NaEDTA on blood lead levels in lead-exposed children will be evaluated; and the relative impact of these two strategies on child growth, motor and cognitive test performance will be compared. This study will investigate the potential use of iron fortification to not only combat anemia but also reduce body lead burden in lead-exposed populations; it specifically investigates whether iron fortification with NaFeEDTA could have additional beneficial effects to iron alone.

One thousand patients with LHD who have no history of exposure to lead will be observed for 18 months. Blood lead level(BLL), biochemical data, hemoglobin, albumin, Cr, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP), and blood cell counts are assessed at baseline. The morbidity and mortality are recorded in detail. Then, one hundred subjects with high BLL (>20μg/dl) will be randomly assigned to the study and control groups. For 3-6 months, the 50 patients in the study group will receive lead-chelation therapy with calcium disodium EDTA weekly until the BLB falls below BLL< 5 μg/dl, and the 50 control group patients receive weekly placebo for 12 weeks. During the ensuing 18 months, the BLL, biochemical data will be regularly followed up every 3 months. BLL is measured every 6 months. If BLL of the study group patients increase >10 μg/dl, the chelation therapy will be performed again until their BLL is <5 μg/dl. The primary end point is morbidity or mortality during the observation and follow-up period. A secondary end point is the change in hemoglobin, albumin, Cr and Hs CRP during the follow up period.

During pregnancy lead crosses the placenta freely and can have adverse effects on the fetus, with the potential for life-long impact on the child. Identification of dietary patterns and food groups in pregnancy in relation to measures of lead status could provide a more useful alternative to a nutrient-specific advice to minimise fetal exposure to lead during pregnancy. The aim is to evaluate whether dietary patterns and food groups are associated with blood lead concentrations in pregnancy.

This prospective cohort study of 400 lead exposed and 400 non-lead exposed women and their husbands assesses endocrine dysfunction and adverse reproductive outcomes. Residing in two study areas in Shenyang, China, the women are married, 20 and 34 years of age, never smokers, have obtained permission to have a child, and have attempted to become pregnant over the course of the study. Lead exposure is defined by lead levels in blood samples collected at the baseline survey (both women and their husbands), first and second trimesters, and at delivery (both maternal and cord blood). Endocrine dysfunction is monitored by urinary hormone metabolites including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estrone conjugates (E1C), and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG). Reproductive endpoints include menstrual disturbance, time to conception, spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, and low birth weight.

Prior research indicates a link between early lead exposure and risk for delinquent behavior. In this study, we follow a large birth cohort from the Cincinnati Lead Study into early adulthood to determine whether this increased risk persists. Outcome measures include official arrest records, diagnoses of Substance Abuse Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder, self-report of delinquent behavior, and a psychopathy scale. Predictors include pre-natal and post-natal blood lead levels. Multivariate statistical methods will control for potential confounders/covariates.

This project studies the relationship between lead exposure and academic achievement in college students. Most studies of the neurobehavioral effects of lead have focused on performances at the low end of the distribution. There is evidence that lead affects outcome across the entire distribution. This is a retrospective cohort study of subjects whose cognitive function is adequate to gain admission to college. We will use x-ray fluorescence to measure bone lead concentrations in undergraduate college students and test the hypothesis that achievement scores are related to early lead exposure. Early lead exposure has been shown to have measurable effects on academic performance and neurobehavioral outcomes at 18 years of age. Should an effect be found in this study, the spectrum of lead toxicity would be expanded to include subjects with above average function.

Inner city children are at an increased risk for lead overburden. This in turn affects cognitive functioning. However, the underlying neuropsychological effects of lead overburden and its age-specific effects have not been well delineated. This study is part of a larger study on the effects of lead overburden on the development of attention and memory. The larger study is using a multi-model approach to study the effects of lead overburden on these effects including the event-related potential (ERP), electrophysiologic measures of attention and memory are studied. Every eight months, for a total of three sessions the subjects will complete ERP measures of attention and memory which require them to watch various computer images while wearing scalp electrodes recording from 11 sites. It is this test that we are going to be doing on CRC. There will be 30 lead overburdened children recruited from the larger study for participation in the ERP studies on CRC. These 30 children will be matched with 30 children without lead overburden. This portion of the study is important in providing an index of physiological functioning to be used along with behaviorally based measures of attention and memory, and for providing information about the different measures.

The purpose of this project is to help families and communities identify and reduce health risks from lead, pesticides and, ultimately, other environmental hazards. We have partnered with the Better Housing League and Baby's Milk Fund in Cincinnati and nationally with the Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning and the National Center for Lead Safe Housing. The first specific aim of this project is to evaluate a sampling kit for families to assess levels of lead and pesticides in their home environment. This aim will strengthen right-to-know laws by providing families with tools to assess environmental contamination in their own homes. The second aim is to increase community awareness of the role of environmental agents in developmental disorders, hearing loss and school problems.

This is a study of the effects that lead has on the health of the central nervous system (for example, memory), peripheral nervous system (for example, sensation and strength in the hands and fingers), kidneys, blood pressure, and the blood forming system. A total of 803 lead workers and 135 persons without occupational lead exposure are being studied in South Korea. Lead in the body is being assessed by measurement of blood lead, chelatable lead (an estimate of lead in the tissues), and lead in bone. Subjects are tested three times each over three years. Several genetic factors are also being assessed for the role they play in the health effects of lead. These genes are known to differ among individuals. We are interested to know whether different forms of the same genes can modify the effect lead has on health.