Association between Blood Cadmium Concentrations and Dyslipidemia among Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Dyslipidemia, defined as abnormal lipid levels, constitutes a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), increasing the likelihood of atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular events. Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, can enter the human body through various channels such as air, water, and soil, accumulate within bodily tissues, and jeopardize human health. The present study aims to explore the association between blood cadmium concentrations and dyslipidemia in the older population. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 3,326 elderly participants in Zhejiang, China. Whole blood levels of cadmium were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Dyslipidemia events were defined based on total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between cadmium levels and dyslipidemia. RESULTS: The prevalence of dyslipidemia among the older population in China was found to be 36.49%. In logistic regression models, blood cadmium levels showed a positive correlation with dyslipidemia. When compared to the lowest quartile of blood cadmium, the odds ratio (OR) of dyslipidemia in the highest quartile was 1.30 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.04, 1.64) after adjusting for multiple covariates. CONCLUSIONS: The whole blood level of cadmium exhibited a significant association with the risk of dyslipidemia in the older Chinese population. This finding emphasizes the importance of monitoring and controlling environmental exposure to heavy metals and improve cardiovascular health.