Blood Cadmium Levels in Nonexposed Male Subjects Living in the Rome Area: Relationship to Selected Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Blood cadmium (B-Cd) levels were determined in non-occupationally exposed men aged 55–75 years living in the Rome area (Italy) who participated in an epidemiological survey for coronary heart disease (New Risk Factors Project). Among the subjects considered in this study (n= 1223), the geometric mean and the geometric standard deviation for B-Cd were 4.58 and 1.84 nmol/liter, respectively. In never smoked and current smokers, the geometric means (geometric standard deviation) for B-Cd were 2.98 nmol/liter (1.61 nmol/liter) and 7.83 nmol/liter (1.68 nmol/liter), respectively. In linear regression analysis B-Cd levels were significantly and positively associated with daily cigarette consumption (r= 0.5501,P< 0.0001), alcohol consumption (g/day;r= 0.1033,P= 0.0003), non–high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels (mmol/liter;r= 0.0848,P= 0.0030), triglyceride levels (mmol/liter, after log-normal transformation;r= 0.0695,P= 0.0151), and blood lead levels (μmol/liter, after log-normal transformation;r= 0.2506,P< 0.0001). B-Cd levels were inversely related to skinfold thicknesses (mm;r= −0.1094,P< 0.0001), body mass index (kg/m2;r= −0.0482,P= 0.0922), and diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg;r= −0.0638,P= 0.0257). No linear correlation was found between B-Cd and systolic blood pressure or mean blood pressure. In multiple regression analysis daily cigarette consumption and blood lead levels were significant predictors of B-Cd level, explaining 30.26 and 2.86% of total variance, respectively. B-Cd was not a significant predictor of diastolic, systolic, or mean blood pressure in multiple regression analyses.